Norethindrone Acetate

Medically Reviewed by Dr. Harshi Dhingra, M.D.

Last Reviewed: Aug 08, 2024

Warnings

Norethindrone Acetate (Aygestin) Risks, Warnings, and Complications

Norethindrone acetate can cause serious adverse effects in certain people. Talk to your doctor about other treatment options for endometriosis, irregular periods, or abnormal uterine bleeding if you are at a high risk of complications from this medication. Some of the risks of taking norethindrone acetate include:

CARDIOVASCULAR RISK: Norethindrone acetate can increase the risk of blood clots, which can cause deep vein thrombosis (DVT), pulmonary embolism (PE), heart attack, or stroke. Risk factors include smoking, obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, and a personal or family medical history of blood clots. Tell your health care professional immediately or seek emergency medical attention if you develop pain or swelling in the lower leg, trouble breathing, chest pain, weakness on one side of the body, sudden severe headache, or sudden vision changes.
VISION ABNORMALITIES: Norethindrone acetate can cause sudden changes in vision, including blurred vision, double vision, and partial or complete loss of vision. Tell your primary care provider or eye doctor right away if you develop any vision abnormalities while on this medication.
EDEMA: Taking norethindrone acetate can lead to fluid build-up (edema) in the body. This can lead to stretched skin and swelling of the hands and feet. It can also lead to worsening of certain conditions such as seizure disorders, migraine headaches, heart problems, and kidney problems. Tell your doctor right away if you notice any swelling or worsening of preexisting health conditions.
DEPRESSION: Norethindrone acetate can cause worsening depression symptoms in people with a history of depression. Tell your doctor if you notice feelings of sadness or hopelessness, loss of interest in previously enjoyable activities, fatigue, changes in appetite, trouble sleeping, or any unusual behavior or mood changes.
BLOOD SUGAR AND CHOLESTEROL LEVELS: Norethindrone acetate can affect blood sugar and blood cholesterol levels. Tell your doctor if you have prediabetes, diabetes, or high cholesterol before starting treatment with this medication. Keep all your medical and lab appointments during treatment. Your doctor may want to monitor certain lab tests or make changes in your medications.
RISK DURING PREGNANCY: Norethindrone acetate can cause harm to an unborn baby, including birth defects and affecting the normal growth of the baby, if it is taken during early pregnancy (the first 4 months). Tell your doctor if you are pregnant, could be pregnant, or are planning a pregnancy soon. Call your doctor immediately if you become pregnant while on norethindrone acetate. Also, this drug passes into breast milk. Check with your doctor before taking it if you are breastfeeding.

Precautions Before Starting Norethindrone Acetate

Tell your doctor if you have ever had an allergic reaction to norethindrone acetate, oral contraceptives, or any other drugs. Your pharmacy can give you a list of active and inactive ingredients in norethindrone acetate tablets.

Give your doctor or pharmacist a complete list of your other medications, including prescription drugs, nonprescription drugs, vitamins, supplements, and herbal products, especially St. John’s wort. This can help avoid possible drug interactions between norethindrone acetate and your other medications.

Give your doctor a complete medical history. Norethindrone acetate may not be safe for people with certain health conditions, such as a heart attack, stroke, TIA (mini-stroke), unexplained abnormal vaginal bleeding, breast cancer, blood clots, clotting disorders, liver problems or liver disease, coronary artery disease, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, chest pain, seizures, migraine headaches, systemic lupus erythematosus, depression, heart disease, or kidney disease.

Tell your doctor if you are pregnant, could be pregnant, are planning a pregnancy, or are breast-feeding.

Talk to your doctor about the benefits versus risks of taking norethindrone acetate if you are a smoker. People who smoke are at an increased risk of serious side effects on this medication.

Precautions During Use of Norethindrone Acetate (Aygestin)

Keep all your medical and lab appointments while taking norethindrone acetate, including regular complete physical exams.

Tell your doctor without delay if you become pregnant while on this medicine.

Tell all your healthcare providers and lab personnel that you are on norethindrone acetate. This medicine can affect the results of certain lab tests, including false test results.

Norethindrone Acetate (Aygestin) Drug Interactions

Certain medicines can affect how norethindrone acetate works. Taking norethindrone acetate with certain other medicines can increase the risk of severe adverse effects. Your doctor may change the doses of your medications, switch you to alternative medications, and/or monitor you carefully for adverse effects if there are known interactions between norethindrone acetate and your other medicines.

The following medications can have possible interactions with norethindrone acetate:

Anticoagulants or blood thinners such as warfarin (Jantoven, Coumadin)
Certain medications used to treat HIV, such as fosamprenavir (Lexiva), darunavir (Prezista, in Symtuza, in Prezcobix), atazanavir (Reyataz, in Evotaz), nelfinavir (Viracept), and ritonavir (Norvir, Technivie, Viekira Pak, in Kaletra)
Antifungal drugs such as griseofulvin (Gris-Peg, Fulvicin)
Antiseizure drugs such as felbamate (Felbatol), carbamazepine (Tegretol, Carbatrol, Equetro, Epitol, others), oxcarbazepine (Trileptal, Oxtellar), phenytoin (Dilantin, Phenytek), phenobarbital, and topiramate (Topamax, Qudexy, Eprontia, in Qsymia, others)
Antitubercular drugs such as rifampin (Rifadin, Rimactane)

The above list may not include all the possible interactions of norethindrone acetate. Give your doctor or pharmacist a complete list of your medications, including prescription drugs, over-the-counter medicines, dietary supplements, and herbal remedies. Also, tell your healthcare provider if you smoke, drink alcohol, or use recreational drugs because some of these substances can cause serious health complications when used with prescription and over-the-counter medicines.

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