Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsWhy Is Noristerat Not Available in the United States?Noristerat UsesHow Noristerat WorksAfter the InjectionSide Effects of NoristeratContraindicationsEffectiveness of Noristerat
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Why Is Noristerat Not Available in the United States?
Noristerat Uses
How Noristerat Works
After the Injection
Side Effects of Noristerat
Contraindications
Effectiveness of Noristerat
The effectiveness, advantages, and disadvantages of Noristerat are similar to Depo Provera but its duration of action is shorter (Noristerat lasts for eight weeks as compared to Depo Provera, which lasts for 12 weeks). Noristerat does not offer any protection against sexually transmitted infections (STIs).
Noristerat is not available in the United States, but it is common in the United Kingdom, Europe, Africa, and Central and Latin America. This article discusses the uses, side effects, and effectiveness of Noristerat.
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The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has long resisted approving Noristerat due to animal studies that suggested it may increase the risk ofbreast cancer, albeit slightly.
It’s important to remember that the FDA had the same concerns about Depo-Provera and denied the approval of that drug several times before its eventual licensing in 2004.
Noristerat is also known as Doryxas, Norethisterone injectable, Norigest, Nur-Isterate, Syngestal, and Unidepo.
Noristerat is a contraceptive that is injected into the muscle of the buttock. The injection is usually given during the first one to five days of your monthly period. Noristerat will continuously release progestin into your bloodstream over a period of eight weeks (two months).
Noristerat is meant to be a short-term method of contraception. After eight weeks, you can only have one more Noristerat injection.
Indications
Noristerat does not have any estrogen, so this injection may be a good short-term birth control method if you cannot use estrogen-based contraceptives. It is also a contraceptive option if you are breastfeeding.
The norethisterone protects against pregnancy in three key ways:
Noristerat vs. Depo-ProveraNoristerat and Depo-Provera are both long-acting, progesterone-only, injectable contraceptives. Of the two, Depo-Provera is the longer acting, providing 12 weeks of protection from pregnancy compared to eight weeks for Noristerat.
Noristerat vs. Depo-Provera
Noristerat and Depo-Provera are both long-acting, progesterone-only, injectable contraceptives. Of the two, Depo-Provera is the longer acting, providing 12 weeks of protection from pregnancy compared to eight weeks for Noristerat.
For the eight weeks that you are using Noristerat, it is important for you to check your breasts and nipples once a month for any changes (such as dimpling of the skin or lumps). If you need to have blood work done, make sure that your healthcare provider knows that you are using Noristerat. This is because Noristerat may affect some of your results.
Your healthcare provider also needs to be aware that you have had the Noristerat injection if you are going to undergo any surgery during the eight-week time frame.Keep in mind that once you stop taking Noristerat, it can take up to a month longer (than other hormonal methods) for you to start ovulating again and regain yourfertility.
Not every person will have side effects from this injection. The most commonly reported Noristerat side effects are:
If you have one of these conditions or suspect you might, talk to your healthcare provider about whether Noristerat is right for you.
Noristerat is 97% to 99.7% effective. This means that with typical use, 2 out of every 100 people who use Noristerat become pregnant in one year. With perfect use, less than 1 out of every 100 people who use Noristerat will become pregnant in one year.
If you receive the Noristerat injection during the first five days of your period, then it is effective immediately and no back-up birth control is needed. There are certain medications that can lower the effectiveness of Noristerat.
Summary
Noristerat is an injectable type of birth control that is not available in the United States. It’s common in the United Kingdom, Europe, Africa, and Central and Latin America. Noristerat only contains the hormone progestin. The FDA hasn’t approved Noristerat due to animal studies and it may increase the risk of breast cancer. Noristerat lasts for eight weeks and does not protect against STIs. Side effects may include spotting, irregular or heavier bleeding, weight gain, headaches, skin reactions, and more.
9 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Patient.Norethisterone contraceptive injection.World Health Organization.Facts about injectable contraceptives: memorandum from a WHO meeting.Bull WHO.1982;60(2):199-210.Kline W.Bodies of evidence: activists, patients, and the FDA regulation of Depo-Provera.J Womens Hist.2010;22(3):64-87. doi:10.1353/jowh.2010.0588Datapharm.Noristerat 200mg, solution for intramuscular injection.NHS.The contraceptive injection.Benagiano G, Gabelnick H, Brosens I.Long-acting hormonal contraception.Womens Health (Lond). 2015 Nov;11(6):749-57. doi:10.2217/whe.15.68Noory A, Aboud HK, Essam N, Hashemi AR.The side effect of noristerat injection in some biochemistry parameters in Al-Diwaniya City.Pak J Biotechnol. 2018;15:(3)699-702.Patient.Norethisterone contraceptive injection.Bayer.Noristerat.
9 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Patient.Norethisterone contraceptive injection.World Health Organization.Facts about injectable contraceptives: memorandum from a WHO meeting.Bull WHO.1982;60(2):199-210.Kline W.Bodies of evidence: activists, patients, and the FDA regulation of Depo-Provera.J Womens Hist.2010;22(3):64-87. doi:10.1353/jowh.2010.0588Datapharm.Noristerat 200mg, solution for intramuscular injection.NHS.The contraceptive injection.Benagiano G, Gabelnick H, Brosens I.Long-acting hormonal contraception.Womens Health (Lond). 2015 Nov;11(6):749-57. doi:10.2217/whe.15.68Noory A, Aboud HK, Essam N, Hashemi AR.The side effect of noristerat injection in some biochemistry parameters in Al-Diwaniya City.Pak J Biotechnol. 2018;15:(3)699-702.Patient.Norethisterone contraceptive injection.Bayer.Noristerat.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Patient.Norethisterone contraceptive injection.World Health Organization.Facts about injectable contraceptives: memorandum from a WHO meeting.Bull WHO.1982;60(2):199-210.Kline W.Bodies of evidence: activists, patients, and the FDA regulation of Depo-Provera.J Womens Hist.2010;22(3):64-87. doi:10.1353/jowh.2010.0588Datapharm.Noristerat 200mg, solution for intramuscular injection.NHS.The contraceptive injection.Benagiano G, Gabelnick H, Brosens I.Long-acting hormonal contraception.Womens Health (Lond). 2015 Nov;11(6):749-57. doi:10.2217/whe.15.68Noory A, Aboud HK, Essam N, Hashemi AR.The side effect of noristerat injection in some biochemistry parameters in Al-Diwaniya City.Pak J Biotechnol. 2018;15:(3)699-702.Patient.Norethisterone contraceptive injection.Bayer.Noristerat.
Patient.Norethisterone contraceptive injection.
World Health Organization.Facts about injectable contraceptives: memorandum from a WHO meeting.Bull WHO.1982;60(2):199-210.
Kline W.Bodies of evidence: activists, patients, and the FDA regulation of Depo-Provera.J Womens Hist.2010;22(3):64-87. doi:10.1353/jowh.2010.0588
Datapharm.Noristerat 200mg, solution for intramuscular injection.
NHS.The contraceptive injection.
Benagiano G, Gabelnick H, Brosens I.Long-acting hormonal contraception.Womens Health (Lond). 2015 Nov;11(6):749-57. doi:10.2217/whe.15.68
Noory A, Aboud HK, Essam N, Hashemi AR.The side effect of noristerat injection in some biochemistry parameters in Al-Diwaniya City.Pak J Biotechnol. 2018;15:(3)699-702.
Bayer.Noristerat.
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