Ortho Evra® (norelgestromin/ethinyl estradiol) is a skin patch that is used for contraception (to prevent pregnancy). It contains norelgestromin (a progestin) and ethinyl estradiol (an estrogen), which are released slowly over time. Each Ortho Evra patch is changed once a week.
Ortho Evra is made by Ortho-McNeil Pharmaceutical, Inc.
How Does Ortho Evra Work?
Ortho Evra works in a similar way as combined
oral contraceptives (
birth control pills that contain both an estrogen and a progestin), although it is a patch, rather than a pill. It primarily works to prevent pregnancy by stopping ovulation (the maturation and release of eggs from the ovaries). However, it also prevents pregnancy in two other, minor ways. Ortho Evra alters 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. Ortho Evra also alters the lining of the uterus (called the endometrium), making it less receptive to an embryo.