Alyacen

What is Alyacen?

Alyacen is a combined birth control pill. It’s a generic version of Ortho-Novum, which is a pill that’s been discontinued. Because it’s a generic, it’s got a cheaper price but all the rigorous testing of a brand-name medication.

Combined birth control is contraception that combines two hormones, progestin and estrogen. All hormonal birth control will have progestin but some kinds, like the mini pill, don’t have any estrogen.

You’ll take Alyacen every day, at the same time. It’s very effective at preventing pregnancy.^[1]

Alyacen 1/35 and Alyacen 7/7/7: what’s the difference?

“1/35” and “7/7/7” refer to the amount of hormones and the way you’ll get them.

Alyacen 1/35 has 1mg of norethindrone acetate (a progestin) and .035mg of ethinyl estradiol (an estrogen).

Alyacen 7/7/7 is a triphasic pill, which means the amount of hormones in the active weeks goes through three phases. For Alyacen 7/7/7, the amount of estrogen stays the same (0.035mg) but the amount of progestin changes. In the first week you get 0.5mg, then 0.75mg in the second week and finally 1mg in your last week before the seven inactive pills.

So: Alyacen 1/35 has the same amount of hormones every week of active pills, and Alyacen 7/7/7 switches up the amount of progestin. Talk to the doctor during your consultation about your options and they’ll help you find a pill that works for you.

How does Alyacen work?

The synthetic hormones in Alyacen change how your body prepares for pregnancy every month. How? In three ways.

The primary one is by blocking ovulation, which is when your body releases an egg that can then be fertilized. The second is by stopping the lining of your uterus from growing thicker. Normally, it would do this so that it’s more comfortable for the egg to embed there and grow. A thinner monthly lining is what gives you the lighter, shorter period you’ll experience with hormonal birth control. And the third way is by physically blocking sperm from swimming to the egg by making the mucus in your cervix thicker. Combined, these three methods make it very, very unlikely you’ll become pregnant.

How to take Alyacen

Alyacen is a daily pill you’ll want to take at the same time every day. That means you should pick a time when you’re likely to be awake and not busy during the entire week. (So if you wake up early on weekdays but like to sleep in on weekends, 8am is not a good time. We like noon; it’s pretty safe.) Take Alyacen with a glass of water and swallow, don’t chew. If you experience an upset stomach while taking Alyacen, try having it with a snack or small meal.

What’s the effectiveness of Alyacen?

It’s up to you. In a perfect world, where everyone takes their birth control pill on time every day, Alyacen will be 99% effective. So if 100 women took Alyacen for a year, one would become pregnant. However, real-world usage brings that number down a little bit because, let’s face it, we’re only human. Sometimes you forget a pill, or take it a bit late. In that case, the effectiveness is more like 91%. So keep a timer on your phone and take your pill on time. Or if the daily thing isn’t working out for you, try a weekly patch or monthly ring instead.

I missed my Alyacen birth control pill

Don’t worry. It happens to the best of us, and missing the occasional pill is even included in studies on how effective hormonal birth control is. The important thing is to get back on track as quickly as possible. You’ll find more detailed instructions in the package insert that comes with your pill, but it usually depends on which pill you missed, how long ago you missed it and what week of your pack you’re in. When you’ve missed your pill, it’s good practice to use back-up contraception (like condoms) for a week to make sure you stay fully protected.