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Precautions and Warnings With Apri
It is a good idea to talk to your healthcare provider about any precautions and warnings with Apri prior to taking the birth control pill. For example, you should tell your healthcare provider if you have certain health conditions, such as diabetes, depression, or high blood pressure. It is also important to know that Apri can increase your risk of blood clots, strokes, and heart attacks.
Apri® (desogestrel/ethinyl estradiol) is a prescription birth control pill and is a generic version of Desogen®. You should talk with your healthcare provider prior to using Apri if you have:
- Had a heart attack or stroke
- Had a blood clot or a clotting disorder
- Chest pain
- High blood pressure (hypertension)
- Migraines or other severe headaches
- Diabetes
- Problems with your heart valves
- Yellowing of the whites of the eyes or skin during a prior pregnancy or oral contraceptive use
- High cholesterol
- Gallbladder disease
- Depression
- Liver disease, such as liver failure, cirrhosis, hepatitis, or liver tumors
- Cancer (or if you have had cancer in the past)
- Unexplained vaginal bleeding.
Also, let your healthcare provider know if you:
- Have an upcoming surgery
- Smoke cigarettes
- Are pregnant or thinking of becoming pregnant
- Are breastfeeding.
Make sure to tell your healthcare provider about any other medication you are taking, including prescription and non-prescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements.
(Apri is equivalent to Desogen®, Emoquette™, Ortho-Cept®, Reclipsen™, and Solia™ birth control pills. The information in this article also applies to each of these medications.)
Written by/reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD; Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD



