Nordette is a type of medication called a combination contraceptive. It consists of two different hormones, which mimic those found naturally in a woman's body:
- ethinyl estradiol - an estrogen
- levonorgestrel - a progestin
To understand how birth control pills work, it is helpful to know the following facts about a woman's reproductive cycle.
- Ovaries usually release one egg each month--called ovulation.
- When the egg is released, it moves to the womb through the fallopian tubes.
- At the same time, the lining of the womb becomes thicker and gets ready for a fertilized egg to attach to it.
- If sperm enter the womb and fertilize the egg, a woman becomes pregnant.
- If an egg is not fertilized, the womb sheds its lining, along with the unfertilized egg. This is called menses, or a period.
Nordette interferes with this process to prevent pregnancy in three ways:
- Stops ovaries from producing and releasing eggs
- Changes the cervical mucus, which makes it harder for sperm to enter the womb
- Makes changes in the lining of the womb, which reduces the chance that an egg will fasten to the womb wall
Nordette is also sometimes used to treat acne. With acne, a chronic skin condition that causes pimples, blackheads and whiteheads, pores in the skin become clogged with a mixture of oil and dead skin cells. Certain hormones in the body make skin glands more active, causing them to secrete more oil. Women are more likely to develop acne during the times when their bodies are making larger amounts of hormones, such as during the teen years or during a period.
For moderate to severe acne, doctors often prescribe birth control pills as a treatment. The overall hormonal effect of the pill helps prevent acne from forming.