An Introduction to Side Effects of Aranelle
As with any medicine,
Aranelle™ (norethindrone/ethinyl estradiol) can cause side effects. However, not every woman who uses the contraceptive will experience side effects. In fact, most women tolerate it quite well. If side effects do occur, in most cases, they are minor and either require no treatment or are easily treated by you or your healthcare provider.
(This article covers many, but not all, of the possible side effects with Aranelle. Your healthcare provider can discuss a more complete list of Aranelle side effects with you. Aranelle is a generic version of Tri-Norinyl® and is also equivalent to Leena® birth control pills. The information in this article applies to both of these medications as well.)
Birth Control and Clinical Trials
In the United States, medications must be shown to be safe and effective in clinical studies before they are approved. In clinical studies for most medications, one group of people receives the actual medication, while another group is given a placebo (a "sugar pill" that does not contain any active ingredients). Typically, the people in the studies do not know if they are taking the real medication or the placebo.
The side effects in both groups are carefully documented and statistically analyzed. As a result, it is possible to see what side effects occur, how often they appear, and whether they are actual side effects of the medication. However, it is not usually ethical to use a placebo in clinical trials for contraceptives, as this would lead to many unintentional pregnancies.
