• Cancer (or if you have had cancer in the past)
• Unexplained vaginal bleeding
• Depression
• Migraines or other severe headaches
• Had a heart attack or stroke
• Had a blood clot or a clotting disorder
• Chest pain
• High blood pressure (hypertension)
• Diabetes
• Problems with your heart valves
• Yellowing of the eyes or skin during a prior pregnancy or oral contraceptive use
• High cholesterol
• Gallbladder disease
• Liver disease, such as liver failure, cirrhosis, hepatitis, or liver tumors.

• Will be having surgery
• Smoke cigarettes
• Are pregnant or thinking of becoming pregnant (see Ortho-Cyclen and Pregnancy)
• Are breastfeeding (see Ortho-Cyclen and Breastfeeding).

 

How Does Previfem Work?

Previfem is a combined oral contraceptive. This means that it is a birth control pill that contains two different types of hormones, an estrogen (ethinyl estradiol) and a progestin (norgestimate). Primarily, the hormones in Previfem prevent pregnancy by stopping ovulation (the maturation and release of eggs from the ovaries). However, Previfem also prevents pregnancy in two other, less important ways. It changes the cervical mucus (the fluid of the cervix, which is the lower, narrow part of the uterus that is connected to the vagina), making it more difficult for sperm to enter the uterus. Lastly, Previfem alters the lining of the uterus (called the endometrium), making it less receptive to an embryo.