Lo Loestrin Fe norethindrone acetate and ethinyl estradiol, ethinyl estradiol and ferrous fumarate Kit — NDC 00430-0420-14 package photo
Label image from the product's FDA listing (DailyMed) — may show a different pack size or an older label revision.

Lo Loestrin Fe norethindrone acetate and ethinyl estradiol, ethinyl estradiol and ferrous fumarate Kit — NDC 0430-0420-14 (Billing 00430-0420-14)

by Allergan, Inc. · 5 BLISTER PACK in 1 CARTON / 1 KIT in 1 BLISTER PACK

This is a package of Lo Loestrin Fe norethindrone acetate and ethinyl estradiol, ethinyl estradiol and ferrous fumarate Kit from Allergan, Inc., marketed since Dec 2010 and currently FDA-listed; retail pharmacies pay about $6.77 per unit (NADAC). It is the main listing for this product, which comes in 3 package sizes.

NDC 00430-0420-14
🏷️ FDA NDC (as labeled) 0430-0420-14 billing pads the labeler segment with a zero
This package
Contains1 kit in 1 blister pack Cost per ea$6.77 NADAC Per package$33.83 / 5 kit Pack sizes3 compare ↓
Also priced by: Medicaid pays $6.59/unit · Part D plans $6.76/unit — full pricing hub ↓
Main listing for product 0430-0420 · Also comes in: 1 kit 0430-0420-60 1 kit 0430-0420-95
Rx only Brand On market Non-controlled ⇄ Compare with another NDC
🗂️ FDA directory synced Oct 1, 2026 · this listing last changed Jul 24, 2026 · sources: openFDA · FDA label (DailyMed) · FDA Orange & Purple Book · First Databank · CMS NADAC, ASP, Medicare & Medicaid · RxNorm
📋 All sources & update times →

NDC database record

One package, one record: these facts belong to NDC 0430-0420-14 alone.

Record
FDA NDC Directory package listing · Human prescription drug
Code segments
0430 labeler · 0420 product · 14 package
Package marketed since
Dec 1, 2010
Sample package
No — commercial package
Listing certified through
Dec 31, 2027
Barcode (UPC-A, from the NDC)
3 0430042014 9
Medicaid fills, this package
246,577 prescriptions in the last four reported quarters
FDA record last changed
Jul 24, 2026

Identity & classification

Regulatory identifiers FDA, NLM and CMS codes for this package

FDA NDC (as labeled) 0430-0420-14
Product NDC 0430-0420
11-digit billing NDC 00430042014
NCPDP billing unit EA — each (per item)
Application # NDA022501
SPL Set ID c33072cf-625d-4b4a-981e-ec049c5d78aa
DEA schedule Non-controlled
Marketing category NDA
Marketing status On market
FDA listing status Listed (active directory)
Marketing start 2010-12-01
Dosage form KIT
TE code (Orange Book) AB · RLD · RS

Drug-database identifiers Medi-Span GPI and First Databank GCN / HICL / AHFS classification

GPI-14 25991003500320
GCN Seq No 066854
GCN 29264
HICL code 001454
Ingredient (HICL) Norethindrone-E.estradiol-Iron
HIC1 code G
Therapeutic class — broad (HIC1) Female Genital System
HIC2 code G8
Therapeutic class — intermediate (HIC2) Systemic Antifertility Agents
HIC3 code G8A
Therapeutic class — specific (HIC3) Contraceptives,Oral
AHFS code 68:12.00.00
AHFS class Contraceptives
FDB label name LO LOESTRIN FE 1-10 TABLET
FDB brand name Lo Loestrin Fe
Legend status F — Federal legend — prescription drug or device
Quick answers
  • GSN (GCN sequence number): 066854
  • GCN: 29264
  • GPI-14 (Medi-Span): 25991003500320
  • HICL (First Databank): 001454
  • AHFS class code: 68:12.00.00
  • RxCUI (RxNorm): 248310
Why two NDCs? The FDA registers this code as 0430-0420-14 — a 4-4-2 layout, and that's what's printed on the package and shown on DailyMed. For insurance claims, every NDC is standardized to a uniform 11-digit 5-4-2 format by adding a zero to the labeler segment → 00430-0420-14. Same drug, same package — only the format differs.
Where does this data come from?
Identifiers from the FDA openFDA NDC Directory and Structured Product Labeling; RxCUI from RxNorm (NLM); GPI from Medi-Span; GCN / HIC / AHFS / legend from First Databank.

RxNorm drug class

This medicine belongs to the Estrogen class.

Pharmacologic class Estrogen
Drug family (ATC) Progestogens and estrogens, sequential preparations, Natural and semisynthetic estrogens, plain, Estrogens
How it works Estrogen Receptor Agonists
Where does this data come from?
Therapeutic classes from RxNorm RxClass (U.S. National Library of Medicine) — Established Pharmacologic Class (FDA), ATC drug family (WHO) and mechanism of action, matched by this product’s RxCUI.

Clinical

Label name LO LOESTRIN FE 1-10 TABLET Ingredient Norethindrone-E.estradiol-Iron
📖 What it is MedlinePlus · NLM

Oral contraceptives (birth-control pills) containing ethinyl estradiol (an estrogen) and norethindrone (a progestin) are used to prevent pregnancy. Estrogen and progestin are two female sex hormones. Combinations of estrogen and progestin work mainly by preventing ovulation (the release of eggs from the ovaries). Oral contraceptives are an effective method of birth control, but they do not prevent the spread of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV, the virus that causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome [AIDS]) and other sexually transmitted diseases.

Read the full MedlinePlus article ↗
Where does this data come from?
Plain-language summary from MedlinePlus (U.S. National Library of Medicine); supplement & herbal interactions and nutrient depletion data from the Natural Medicines database; our full guide is HelloPharmacist editorial content.

Pricing

A drug doesn't have one price. Each row is a different public payment system, and none is what you'd pay at the counter — that depends on your insurance. The ⓘ on each row explains what it measures.

Price systemPer eaPer package
Retail pharmacies payNADAC · weekly $6.766 $33.83 / 5 kit
Medicaid paysCMS SDUD · 12 mo $6.59 $32.96 / 5 kit
Medicare drug plans payPart D · Q2 2026 $6.76 $33.79 / 5 kit
NADAC price history (per ea) — tap or hover for the price & month
Oct 2021 Jan 2024 May 2026 Sep 2026 $6.773 $5.318
▲ Up 27% over the last 11 months.
Where does this data come from?
NADAC (National Average Drug Acquisition Cost) is the CMS weekly pharmacy-acquisition-cost survey — what pharmacies pay. ASP (Average Sales Price) is the CMS Medicare Part B drug-payment file, published quarterly. Medicaid pays is computed by us from CMS State Drug Utilization Data (total reimbursed ÷ units, trailing 12 months) — gross of rebates and inclusive of dispensing fees, so it reflects what Medicaid paid, not an acquisition cost. Medicare drug plans pay is the median negotiated point-of-sale unit cost across plans listing this NDC in the CMS quarterly Prescription Drug Plan pricing files, before rebates. The VA pays is the federal contract price (FSS, and the statutory Big 4 ceiling where listed) from the VA National Acquisition Center pharmaceutical price file. All are free public government data; each measures a different payer, so the figures are not directly comparable.

Packaging — all sizes for this product

Package NDCDescription Per unit Per pack Marketing startMarketing endStatus
00430-0420-14 You're viewing this Main listing 5 BLISTER PACK in 1 CARTON / 1 KIT in 1 BLISTER PACK $6.77 / ea $33.83 2010-12-01 — Active
00430-0420-60 0430-0420-60 8 CARTON in 1 TRAY / 30 BLISTER PACK in 1 CARTON / 1 KIT in 1 BLISTER PACK — — 2010-12-01 — Active
00430-0420-95 0430-0420-95 6 CARTON in 1 TRAY / 1 BLISTER PACK in 1 CARTON / 1 KIT in 1 BLISTER PACK Sample — — 2010-12-01 — Active

In Medicaid, this is the most-dispensed pack of this product — about 100% of fills over the last four reported quarters. See all packs ↓

Pack size FAQ

What quantity is in this package?
This package is listed by the FDA — 5 blister pack in 1 carton / 1 kit in 1 blister pack.
What NDC number is used to bill for this package of Lo Loestrin Fe norethindrone acetate and ethinyl estradiol, ethinyl estradiol and ferrous fumarate Kit?
Use the 11-digit billing form listed in the identifiers section of this page. Pharmacy and medical claims use the 11-digit form; the FDA label may print a shorter form of the same code.

Prices are the latest CMS NADAC pharmacy acquisition cost per NDC; per-pack figures are per-unit × pack quantity, shown only when the pack is denominated in the same measure NADAC prices.

Therapeutic equivalents

ProductLabelerPackNADAC/unitTEStatusPrice vs. this
Lo Loestrin Fethis 00430-0420-14 Allergan, 1 kit $6.766 AB Availability likely —
Lo Loestrin Fe 50090-1456-00 A-S 1 kit — AB FDA listed —
About this product: this is the brand-name version. Some generic versions are approved by the FDA, but we could not confirm current pharmacy availability from our pricing/market data.
Where does this data come from?
Equivalents are other NDCs of the same ingredient, form and route from the openFDA NDC Directory, ranked least-expensive-first by NADAC. Therapeutic-equivalence (AB) ratings come from the FDA Orange Book; biologics use the FDA Purple Book for biosimilar & interchangeable status.

Availability & generic status

🏛️
2010
First FDA approval
Oct 2010
📍
2026
Currently FDA-listed
16 years listed
🛡️
2029
Latest patent/protection listed
not a guaranteed launch date
🔒Generic approved by FDA, but pharmacy availability is not confirmed

The FDA lists approved generic versions of this medicine, but that does not always mean a pharmacy can get one today. Patent rules, launch agreements, supply and pricing can affect when generics actually arrive.

🛡️ Latest patent/protection date listed: FDA patent/protection data lists protections through Feb 2029. This may affect when a full generic version becomes widely available, but it is not a guaranteed launch date.
📅 FDA approved Oct 21, 2010 AB TE-rated RLD RS ⏳ ~2.3 yr to latest listed protection

Why the date isn’t exact: Generic timing can change because patents may be challenged, settled, licensed, added, removed, or worked around with a narrower label — and FDA approval does not always mean a pharmacy can get the generic today.

Patents & exclusivity — FDA Orange Book
US 7704984 — method of use (U-1090)
2010 2012 2014 2016 2018 2020 2022 2024 2026 2028
Today
LOE
Substance patent Formulation patent Method-of-use patent Exclusivity Pediatric +6mo
🏛️FDA exclusivity
FDA-granted marketing protection. It’s separate from patents and may be shorter than patent protection.
🧪Product / substance patents
Patents covering the active ingredient, product, formulation, or related drug features.
🎯Method-of-use patents
Patents covering specific approved uses. These can sometimes be carved out with a “skinny label,” but not always.
🛈 What do these terms mean?
Patent
Legal protection listed in the Orange Book that may delay generic approval or launch. Issued by the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office.
Substance patent
Covers the active drug molecule itself — the hardest to design around. A generic generally can’t launch until it expires.
Formulation (product) patent
Covers a specific formulation or dosage form. A generic can sometimes work around it with a different formulation.
Method-of-use patent
A patent covering one specific approved use of the drug — not necessarily the whole molecule. A generic can sometimes launch with a “skinny label” that carves out the protected use and keeps the others.
Skinny label
A generic label that omits a still-patented use when the FDA allows it — letting a generic reach the market for the unprotected uses.
Exclusivity
FDA-granted marketing protection, separate from patents — e.g. 5-yr new chemical entity, 7-yr orphan drug, or a +6-month pediatric extension.
Paragraph IV
A generic applicant’s formal challenge to a listed patent. It can potentially lead to earlier generic entry, but often involves litigation or a settlement.
RLD / RS
Reference Listed Drug — the brand product the FDA uses as the reference for generic applications. Reference Standard — the product the FDA expects generics to compare against in bioequivalence testing.
TE / AB rating
FDA therapeutic-equivalence rating. An AB rating generally means the FDA considers a generic therapeutically equivalent to — and substitutable for — the brand.
LOE (loss of exclusivity)
The latest patent or exclusivity currently listed — the loss-of-exclusivity / latest-listed-protection date shown on this page. Paragraph-IV challenges and settlements can move the real date earlier; FDA approval and a manufacturer’s decision to market can move it later.

Built from the FDA Orange Book. The bars above are scaled to each protection’s expiry; the red LOE marker is the last one to lapse.

Listed patents (1)
PatentTypeUse codeExpires
US 7704984 ↗ Method of use U-1090 Feb 2, 2029
Common questions
Is there a generic version of LO LOESTRIN FE 1-10 TABLET?
Yes — an FDA-approved generic equivalent is listed in the FDA Orange Book for LO LOESTRIN FE 1-10 TABLET. See the alternatives section for substitutable, lower-cost products.
The FDA approved a generic — why can’t I get it at my pharmacy yet?
FDA approval and pharmacy availability are two different things. The FDA can approve a generic years before it actually reaches pharmacies, because the brand company may still hold patents or have a settlement that delays the launch. A manufacturer also has to choose to make and sell it, and have supply ready. So a drug can be “FDA-approved generic exists” and still be brand-only at the counter today.
Why do different websites show different generic release dates?
Generic availability is not based on one single date. Some sources use the first exclusivity expiration, some use the last product patent, and others use the latest method-of-use patent. Patent challenges, settlements, licenses, and label carve-outs can also change the real-world launch date. This page shows the underlying Orange Book dates so you can see why estimates may differ.
What does “FDA listed” mean?
It means the product appears in the FDA’s official NDC directory. That’s a good sign a product exists and is intended for the U.S. market, but on its own it does not confirm a pharmacy can fill it today. Where we have recent retail pricing data (NADAC) for a product, we label it “Availability likely” instead.
What does a patent or protection date mean here?
It’s the latest date currently listed in the FDA Orange Book for a patent or exclusivity on the brand product. It can affect when a full generic version becomes widely available — but it is not a guaranteed generic launch date. Generics sometimes arrive earlier (through a settlement or patent challenge) or later (a manufacturer still has to make and sell one).
What does “current Orange Book estimate” mean?
It means we are using the latest patent and exclusivity dates currently listed in the FDA Orange Book. It is not a guaranteed launch date.
Can a generic come out before the last patent expires?
Sometimes. A generic company may challenge a patent, settle with the brand manufacturer, receive a license, or obtain approval with a narrower label that avoids a patented use. In other cases, the last listed protection may delay full-label generic competition.
Can a generic come out after the listed dates?
Yes. Even after patents or exclusivity expire, a generic still needs FDA approval and a manufacturer must choose to market it. Supply, litigation, business decisions, or regulatory issues can delay actual availability.
What is the difference between patents and exclusivity?
Patents are legal protections usually issued by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. FDA exclusivity is marketing protection granted by the FDA. They are separate, and either one can affect generic timing.
Why are there multiple patent dates?
One drug can have several patents covering different things: the active ingredient, a formulation, a manufacturing process, or a specific approved use. That is why a page may show several expiration dates instead of one simple generic date.
Built from FDA Orange Book patent and exclusivity data. Dates are refreshed from public FDA data when available; the marker is max(latest patent expiry, latest exclusivity expiry). Paragraph-IV settlements and first-filer 180-day exclusivity can shift the real date; a method-of-use patent may allow an earlier skinny-label generic for non-protected indications. Generic launch timing is an estimate, not a guarantee.
Where does this data come from?
Patents and exclusivity from the FDA Orange Book (small-molecule drugs), refreshed from public FDA data. Generic launch timing is an estimate, not a guarantee.

What it looks like

Color blue / white / brown
ShapeRound
ImprintWC;624
Size6 mm
ScoringNot scored
FlavorSpearmint
One label can cover several strengths, so colors may be combined — always confirm a loose pill against the dispensed prescription label or a pharmacist.
Where does this data come from?
Physical description (imprint, shape, color, scoring, coating) from this product’s FDA Structured Product Labeling (SPL), mirrored from DailyMed / openFDA.

Inactive Ingredients / Excipients

Inactive ingredients, also called excipients, are components of the drug product other than the active ingredient. They may include fillers, dyes, coatings, preservatives, flavors, or other formulation ingredients.

A current SPL was checked, but it does not contain a structured or narrative inactive-ingredient list for this product. This does not mean the product has no inactive ingredients.
Where does this data come from?
Source: official FDA Structured Product Labeling (SPL) via DailyMed and the openFDA label index. Structured IACT rows and label-wide narrative are kept separate; availability and product-level specificity depend on the submitted label.

Inactive ingredient FAQ

Are inactive ingredients the same for every manufacturer?
No. Inactive ingredients can differ by manufacturer, dosage form, strength, and package / product version.
Why might an inactive ingredient be missing?
Some SPLs do not provide a complete structured inactive-ingredient list, and older or unusual labels may only include the information in narrative text.
Can inactive ingredients matter?
Yes. They can matter for allergies, intolerances, dyes, gluten / lactose concerns, preservatives, and formulation differences — but confirm with a pharmacist or the manufacturer when it’s clinically important.

Manufacturer & labeler

LabelerAllergan, Inc.
Application holderALLERGAN PHARMACEUTICALS INTERNATIONAL LTD
FDA applicationNDA022501 (NDA)
Labeler code00430
First marketedDec 2010
Product typeHuman Prescription Drug
Portfolio188 products on file
The labeler markets the product; the application holder owns the FDA approval. They’re often the same company but can differ (e.g. a repackager or an authorized generic). A mailing address / phone appears here when the manufacturer includes it in the product’s FDA label (not all do).
Where does this data come from?
Labeler, application holder and registered establishment from the FDA openFDA NDC Directory and Drugs@FDA; address/contact from the product’s FDA label.

Full prescribing information FDA SPL

The complete FDA label for this product — the official prescribing information, verbatim, section by section. Very long sections are excerpted here and marked; the full text is on DailyMed (linked in the sources below). Jump with a chip, search within the label, or expand everything.
🚨 Boxed Warning 123 words ▾

WARNING: CIGARETTE SMOKING AND SERIOUS CARDIOVASCULAR EVENTS Cigarette smoking increases the risk of serious cardiovascular events from combination oral contraceptive (COC ) use. This risk increases with age , particularly in women over 35 years of age , and with the number of cigarettes smoked . For this reason, COCs should not be used by w omen who are over 35 years of age and smoke [ see Contraindications (4) ] .

WARNING : CIGARETTE SMOKING AND SERIOUS CARDIOVASCULAR EVENTS See Full Prescribing Information for complete boxed warning. Women over 35 years old who smoke should not use Lo Loestrin Fe ( 4 ) Cigarette smoking increases the risk of serious cardiovascular events from combination oral contraceptive (COC ) use ( 4 )

🎯 Indications and Usage 101 words ▾

1 INDICATIONS AND USAGE Lo Loestrin ® Fe is indicated for use by women to prevent pregnancy [ see Clinical Studies (14) ] . The efficacy of Lo Loestrin Fe in women with a body mass index (BMI) of > 35 kg/m 2 has not been evaluated. Lo Loestrin Fe is a combination of norethindrone acetate, a progestin, and ethinyl estradiol, an estrogen, indicated for use by women to prevent pregnancy ( 1 ) The efficacy of Lo Loestrin Fe in women with a body mass index of > 35 kg/m 2 has not been evaluated ( 1 , 8.8 )

⏱️ Dosage and Administration ~3 min read ▾

2 DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION Take one tablet by mouth at the same time every day for 28 days ( 2.1 ) Take tablets in the order directed on the blister pack ( 2.1 )

2.1How to Take Lo Loestrin Fe To achieve maximum contraceptive effectiveness, Lo Loestrin Fe must be taken exactly as directed. Take one tablet by mouth at the same time every day. Tablets must be taken in the order directed on the blister pack. Tablets should not be skipped or taken at intervals exceeding 24 hours. Lo Loestrin Fe tablets may be administered without regard to meals [see Clinical Pharmacology (12.3) ] .

2.2How to Start Lo Loestrin Fe Instruct the patient to begin taking Lo Loestrin Fe on Day 1 of her menstrual cycle (that is, the first day of her menstrual bleeding). One blue tablet should be taken daily for 24 consecutive days, followed by one white tablet daily for 2 consecutive days, followed by one brown tablet daily for 2 consecutive days. Instruct the patient to use a non-hormonal contraceptive as back-up during the first 7 days if she starts taking Lo Loestrin Fe other than on the first day of her menstrual cycle.

For postpartum women who do not breastfeed or after a second trimester abortion, Lo Loestrin Fe may be started no earlier than 4 weeks postpartum. Recommend use of a non-hormonal back-up method for the first 7 days. When COCs are used during the postpartum period, the increased risk of thromboembolic disease associated with the postpartum period must be considered [see Warnings and Precautions (5.1) ] .

The possibility of ovulation and conception before starting COCs should also be considered. Lo Loestrin Fe may be initiated immediately after a first-trimester abortion or miscarriage; if the patient starts Lo Loestrin Fe immediately, additional contraceptive measures are not needed.

2.3Switching from another H ormonal M ethod of C ontraception If the patient is switching from a combination hormonal method such as: ○ Another pill ○ Vaginal ring ○ Patch Instruct her to take the first blue tablet on the day she would have taken her next COC pill. She should not continue taking the tablets from her previous birth control pack and should not skip any days between packs. If she does not have a withdrawal bleed, rule out pregnancy before starting Lo Loestrin Fe.

If she previously used a vaginal ring or transdermal patch, she should start using Lo Loestrin Fe on the day she would have resumed the previous product. If the patient is switching from a progestin-only method such as a: ○ Progestin-only pill ○ Implant ○ Intrauterine system ○ Injection Instruct her to take the first blue tablet on the day she would have taken her next progestin-only pill, or had her next injection or on the day of removal of her implant. If switching from an IUD, depending on the timing of removal, back-up contraception may be needed.

2.4Missed Doses Table 1: Instructions for Missed Lo Loestrin Fe Tablets in a Monthly Dosing Regimen If one blue tablet is missed Take the tablet as soon as possible, even if two tablets are taken in one day. Continue taking one tablet a day until the pack is finished. If two consecutive blue tablets are missed in Week 1 or Week 2 Take the two missed tablets as soon as possible, and the next two tablets the next day.

Continue taking the remaining tablets, one tablet a day until the pack is finished. Use ad ditional non-hormonal contraception (such as condoms and spermicide) for 7 consecutive days after missing tablets. If two consecutive tablets (blue or white) are missed in Week 3 or Week 4 Throw out the rest of the pack and start a new pack the same day.

A withdrawal bleed may not occur. Use ad ditional non-hormonal contraception (such as condoms and spermicide) for 7 consecutive days after missing tablets. If three or more consecutive tablets (blue or white) are missed at any time Throw out the rest of the pack and start a new pack that same day.

A withdrawal bleeding may not occur. Use a dditional non-hormonal contraception (suc… [Excerpted — this section continues on DailyMed.]

💊 Dosage Forms and Strengths 183 words ▾

3 DOSAGE FORM S AND STRENGTH S Lo Loestrin Fe (norethindrone acetate and ethinyl estradiol tablets, ethinyl estradiol tablets and ferrous fumarate tablets) is available in blister packs. Each blister pack (28 tablets) contains in the following order: 24 blue, round (active) tablets imprinted with “WC” on one side and “421” on the other and each containing 1 mg norethindrone acetate and 10 mcg ethinyl estradiol. 2 white, hexagonal (active) tablets imprinted with “WC” on one side and “422” on the other and each containing 10 mcg ethinyl estradiol.

2 brown, round (non-hormonal placebo) tablets imprinted with “WC” on one side and “624” on the other and each containing 75 mg ferrous fumarate. The ferrous fumarate tablets do not serve any therapeutic purpose. Lo Loestrin Fe consists of 28 tablets in the following order ( 3 ): 24 blue tablets (active), each containing 1 mg norethindrone acetate and 10 mcg ethinyl estradiol 2 white tablets (active), each containing 10 mcg ethinyl estradiol 2 brown tablets (non-hormonal placebo), each containing 75 mg ferrous fumarate.

The ferrous fumarate tablets do not serve any therapeutic purpose

⛔ Contraindications ~1 min read ▾

4 CONTRAINDICATIONS Lo Loestrin Fe is contraindicated in females who are known to have or develop the following conditions: A high risk of arterial or venous thrombotic diseases. Examples include women who are known to: • Smoke, if over age 35 [see Boxed Warning and Warnings and Precautions (5.1) ] • Have deep vein thrombosis or pulmonary embolism, now or in the past [see Warnings and Precautions (5.1) ] • Have cerebrovascular disease [see Warnings and Precautions (5.1) ] • Have coronary artery disease [see Warnings and Precautions (5.1) ] • Have thrombogenic valvular or thrombogenic rhythm diseases of the heart (for example, subacute bacterial endocarditis with valvular disease, or atrial fibrillation) [see Warnings and Precautions (5.1) ] • Have inherited or acquired hypercoagulopathies [see Warnings and Precautions (5.1) ] • Have uncontrolled hypertension [see Warnings and Precautions (5.5) ] • Have diabetes mellitus with vascular disease [see Warnings and Precautions (5.7) ] • Have headaches with focal neurological symptoms or have migraine headaches with or without aura if over age 35 [see Warnings and Precautions (5.8) ] Current diagnosis of, or history of, breast cancer, which may be hormone-sensitive [see Warnings and Precautions (5.2) ] Liver tumors, benign or malignant, or liver disease [see Warnings and Precautions (5.3) ] Undiagnosed abnormal uterine bleeding [see Warnings and Precautions (5.9) ] Use of Hepatitis C drug combinations containing ombitasvir/paritaprevir/ritonavir, with or without dasabuvir, due to the potential for ALT elevations [see Warnings and Precautions (5.4) ] .

A high risk of arterial or venous thrombotic diseases ( 4 ) Breast cancer ( 4 ) Liver tumors or liver disease ( 4 ) Undiagnosed abnormal uterine bleeding ( 4 ) Co-administration with Hepatitis C drug combinations containing ombitasvir/paritaprevir/ritonavir, with or without dasabuvir ( 4 )

⚠️ Warnings and Cautions ~3 min read ▾

5 WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS Vascular risks: Stop Lo Loestrin Fe if a thrombotic event occurs. Stop Lo Loestrin Fe at least 4 weeks before through 2 weeks after major surgery. Start Lo Loestrin Fe no earlier than 4 weeks after delivery, in women who are not breastfeeding ( 5.1 ) Liver disease: Discontinue Lo Loestrin Fe if jaundice occurs ( 5.3 ) High blood pressure: Do not prescribe Lo Loestrin Fe for women with uncontrolled hypertension or hypertension with vascular disease.

( 5.5 ) Carbohydrate and lipid metabolic effects: Monitor prediabetic and diabetic women taking Lo Loestrin Fe. Consider an alternative contraceptive method for women with uncontrolled dyslipidemia ( 5.7 ) Headache: Evaluate significant change in headaches and discontinue Lo Loestrin Fe if indicated ( 5.8 ) Uterine bleeding: Evaluate irregular bleeding or amenorrhea ( 5.9 )

5.1Thrombotic and Other Vascular Events Stop Lo Loestrin Fe if an arterial or deep venous thrombotic event occurs. Although use of COCs increases the risk of venous thromboembolism, pregnancy increases the risk of venous thromboembolism as much or more than the use of COCs. The risk of venous thromboembolism in women using COCs is 3 to 9 per 10,000 woman-years.

The risk is highest during the first year of use of a COC. Use of COCs also increases the risk of arterial thromboses such as strokes and myocardial infarctions, especially in women with other risk factors for these events. The risk of thromboembolic disease due to oral contraceptives gradually disappears after COC use is discontinued.

If feasible, stop Lo Loestrin Fe at least 4 weeks before and through 2 weeks after major surgery or other surgeries known to have an elevated risk of thromboembolism. Start Lo Loestrin Fe no earlier than 4 weeks after delivery, in women who are not breastfeeding. The risk of postpartum thromboembolism decreases after the third postpartum week, whereas the risk of ovulation increases after the third postpartum week.

COCs have been shown to increase both the relative and attributable risks of cerebrovascular events (thrombotic and hemorrhagic strokes), although, in general, the risk is greatest in older (> 35 years of age), hypertensive women who also smoke. COCs also increase the risk for stroke in women with underlying risk factors. Oral contraceptives must be used with caution in women with cardiovascular disease risk factors.

Stop Lo Loestrin Fe if there is unexplained loss of vision, proptosis, diplopia, papilledema, or retinal vascular lesions. Evaluate for retinal vein thrombosis immediately.

5.2Malignant Neoplasms Breast Cancer Lo Loestrin Fe is contraindicated in females who currently have or have had breast cancer because breast cancer may be hormonally sensitive [see Contraindications (4) ]. Epidemiology studies have not found a consistent association between use of combined oral contraceptives (COCs) and breast cancer risk. Studies do not show an association between ever (current or past) use of COCs and risk of breast cancer.

However, some studies report a small increase in the risk of breast cancer among current or recent users (<6 months since last use) and current users with longer duration of COC use [see Adverse Reactions (6.2) ]. Cervical Cancer Some studies suggest that COCs are associated with an increase in the risk of cervical cancer or intraepithelial neoplasia. However, there is controversy about the extent to which these findings may be due to differences in sexual behavior and other factors.

5.3Liver Disease Discontinue Lo Loestrin Fe if jaundice develops. Steroid hormones may be poorly metabolized in patients with impaired liver function. Acute or chronic disturbances of liver function may necessitate the discontinuation of COC use until markers of liver function return to normal and COC causation has been excluded.

Hepatic adenomas are associated with COC use. An estimate of the attributable risk is 3.3 cases per 100,000 COC users. Rupture of hepatic adenomas may cause… [Excerpted — this section continues on DailyMed.]

🤒 Adverse Reactions ~3 min read ▾

6 ADVERSE REACTIONS The following serious adverse reactions with the use of COCs are discussed elsewhere in the labeling: Serious cardiovascular events and smoking [see Boxed Warning and Warnings and Precautions (5.1) ] Vascular events [see Warnings and Precautions (5.1) ] Liver disease [see Warnings and Precautions (5.3) ] Adverse reactions commonly reported by COC users are: Irregular uterine bleeding Nausea Breast tenderness Headache The most common adverse reactions (≥ 2 percent) are nausea/vomiting (7 percent), headache (7 percent), bleeding irregularities (5 percent), dysmenorrhea (4 percent), weight change (4 percent), breast tenderness (4 percent), acne (3 percent), abdominal pain (3 percent), anxiety (2 percent) and depression (2 percent) ( 6 ) To report SUSPECTED ADVERSE REACTIONS, contact AbbVie at 1-800-678-1605 or FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 or www.fda.gov/medwatch.

Relevant studies of Risk of Breast Cancer with combined Oral Contraceptives

6.1Clinical Trial Experience Because clinical trials are conducted under widely varying conditions, adverse reaction rates observed in the clinical trials of a drug cannot be directly compared to the rates in the clinical trials of another drug and may not reflect the rates observed in practice. A multicenter phase 3 clinical trial evaluated the safety and efficacy of Lo Loestrin Fe for pregnancy prevention. The study was a one year, open-label, single-arm, uncontrolled study.

A total of 1,660 women aged 18 to 45 were enrolled and took at least one dose of Lo Loestrin Fe [ s ee Clinical Studies (14) ] . Common Adverse Reactions ( ≥ 2 percent of all Treated Subjects ) : The most common adverse reactions reported by at least 2 percent of the 1,660 women using Lo Loestrin Fe were the following in order of decreasing incidence: nausea/vomiting (7 percent), headache (7 percent), bleeding irregularities (including metrorrhagia, irregular menstruation, menorrhagia, vaginal hemorrhage and dysfunctional uterine bleeding) (5 percent), dysmenorrhea (4 percent), weight fluctuation (4 percent), breast tenderness (4 percent), acne (3 percent), abdominal pain (3 percent), anxiety (2 percent), and depression (2 percent).

Adverse Reactions Leading to Study Discontinuation : 10.7 percent of the women discontinued from the clinical trial due to an adverse reaction. Adverse reactions occurring in ≥1 percent of subjects leading to discontinuation of treatment were in decreasing order: menstrual irregularities (including metrorrhagia, irregular menstruation, menorrhagia and vaginal hemorrhage) (4 percent), headache/migraine (1 percent), mood disorder (including mood swings, depression, anxiety) (1 percent), and weight fluctuation (1 percent).

Serious Adverse Reactions : deep vein thrombosis, ovarian vein thrombosis, cholecystitis.

6.2Postmarketing Experience Five studies that compared breast cancer risk between ever-users (current or past use) of COCs and never-users of COCs reported no association between ever use of COCs and breast cancer risk, with effect estimates ranging from 0.90 - 1.12 (Figure 1). Three studies compared breast cancer risk between current or recent COC users (<6 months since last use) and never users of COCs (Figure 1). One of these studies reported no association between breast cancer risk and COC use.

The other two studies found an increased relative risk of 1.19 - 1.33 with current or recent use. Both of these studies found an increased risk of breast cancer with current use of longer duration, with relative risks ranging from 1.03 with less than one year of COC use to approximately 1.4 with more than 8-10 years of COC use. Figure 1.

RR = relative risk; OR = odds ratio; HR = hazard ratio. “ever COC” are females with current or past COC use; “never COC use” are females that never used COCs.

🔄 Drug Interactions ~2 min read ▾

7 DRUG INTERACTIONS No drug-drug interaction studies were conducted with Lo Loestrin Fe. Drugs or herbal products that induce certain enzymes, including CYP3A4, may decrease the effectiveness of COCs or increase breakthrough bleeding. Counsel patients to use a back-up method or alternative method of contraception when enzyme inducers are used with COCs ( 7.1 ) -- - ---------- ------ USE IN SPECIFIC POPULATIONS---- -- -- --------- ---- Lactation: Not recommended; Lo Loestrin Fe can decrease milk production ( 8.2 )

7.1Changes in Contraceptive Effectiveness Associated with Co-Administration of Other Products If a woman on hormonal contraceptives takes a drug or herbal product that induces enzymes, including CYP3A4, that metabolize contraceptive hormones, counsel her to use additional contraception or a different method of contraception. Drugs or herbal products that induce such enzymes may decrease the plasma concentrations of contraceptive hormones, and may decrease the effectiveness of hormonal contraceptives or increase breakthrough bleeding.

Some drugs or herbal products that may decrease the effectiveness of hormonal contraceptives include: barbiturates bosentan carbamazepine felbamate griseofulvin oxcarbazepine phenytoin rifampin St. John’s wort topiramate HIV protease inhibitors and non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors : Significant changes (increase or decrease) in the plasma levels of the estrogen and progestin have been noted in some cases of co-administration of HIV protease inhibitors or of non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors.

Antibiotics : There have been reports of pregnancy while taking hormonal contraceptives and antibiotics, but clinical pharmacokinetic studies have not shown consistent effects of antibiotics on plasma concentrations of synthetic steroids. Consult the labeling of all concurrently-used drugs to obtain further information about interactions with hormonal contraceptives or the potential for enzyme alterations.

7.2Increase i n Plasma Levels of Ethinyl Estradiol Associated with Co-Administered Drugs Co-administration of atorvastatin and certain COCs containing ethinyl estradiol increase AUC values for ethinyl estradiol by approximately 20 percent. Ascorbic acid and acetaminophen may increase plasma ethinyl estradiol levels, possibly by inhibition of conjugation. CYP3A4 inhibitors such as itraconazole or ketoconazole may increase plasma hormone levels.

7.3Concomitant Use with HCV Combination Therapy – Liver Enzyme Elevation Do not co-administer Lo Loestrin Fe with HCV drug combinations containing ombitasvir/ paritaprevir/ritonavir, with or without dasabuvir, due to potential for ALT elevations [see Warnings and Precautions (5.4) ] .

7.4Changes in Plasma Levels of Co-Administered Drugs COCs containing some synthetic estrogens (for example, ethinyl estradiol) may inhibit the metabolism of other compounds. COCs have been shown to significantly decrease plasma concentrations of lamotrigine, likely due to induction of lamotrigine glucuronidation. This may reduce seizure control; therefore, dosage adjustments of lamotrigine may be necessary.

Consult the labeling of the concurrently-used drug to obtain further information about interactions with COCs or the potential for enzyme alterations.

👥 Use in Specific Populations ~2 min read ▾

8 USE IN SPECIFIC POPULATIONS

8.1Pregnancy Risk Summary There is no use for contraception in pregnancy; therefore, Lo Loestrin Fe should be discontinued during pregnancy. Epidemiologic studies and meta-analyses have not found an increased risk of genital or nongenital birth defects (including cardiac anomalies and limb reduction defects) following exposure to combined hormonal contraceptives (CHCs) before conception or during early pregnancy. In the U.S. general population, the estimated background risk of major birth defects and miscarriage in clinically recognized pregnancies is 2 to 4 percent and 15 to 20 percent, respectively.

Data Human Data Epidemiologic studies and meta-analyses have not found an increased risk of genital or nongenital birth defects (including cardiac anomalies and limb-reduction defects) following exposure to CHCs before conception or during early pregnancy. 8. 2 Lactation Risk Summary Contraceptive hormones and/or metabolites are present in human milk.

CHCs can reduce milk production in breastfeeding females. This reduction can occur at any time but is less likely to occur once breastfeeding is well-established. When possible, advise the nursing female to use other methods of contraception until she discontinues breastfeeding. [See also Dosage and Administration (2.2) .] The developmental and health benefits of breastfeeding should be considered along with the mother’s clinical need for Lo Loestrin Fe and any potential adverse effects on the breastfed child from Lo Loestrin Fe or from the underlying maternal condition.

8.4Pediatric Use Safety and efficacy of Lo Loestrin Fe have been established in women of reproductive age. Safety and efficacy are expected to be the same in postpubertal adolescents under the age of 18 years as for users 18 years and older. Use of this product before menarche is not indicated.

8.5Geriatric Use Lo Loestrin Fe has not been studied in postmenopausal women and is not indicated in this population.

8.6Renal Impairment The pharmacokinetics of Lo Loestrin Fe has not been studied in subjects with renal impairment.

8.7Hepatic Impairment No studies have been conducted to evaluate the effect of hepatic impairment on the disposition of Lo Loestrin Fe. However, steroid hormones may be poorly metabolized in patients with impaired liver function. Acute or chronic disturbances of liver function may necessitate the discontinuation of COC use until markers of liver function return to normal and COC causation has been excluded [ s ee Contraindications (4) and Warnings and Precautions (5.3) ] .

8.8Body Mass Index The safety and efficacy of Lo Loestrin Fe in women with a body mass index (BMI) >35 kg/m 2 has not been evaluated [ s ee Clinical Studies (14) ] .

🤰 Pregnancy 122 words ▾

8.1Pregnancy Risk Summary There is no use for contraception in pregnancy; therefore, Lo Loestrin Fe should be discontinued during pregnancy. Epidemiologic studies and meta-analyses have not found an increased risk of genital or nongenital birth defects (including cardiac anomalies and limb reduction defects) following exposure to combined hormonal contraceptives (CHCs) before conception or during early pregnancy. In the U.S. general population, the estimated background risk of major birth defects and miscarriage in clinically recognized pregnancies is 2 to 4 percent and 15 to 20 percent, respectively.

Data Human Data Epidemiologic studies and meta-analyses have not found an increased risk of genital or nongenital birth defects (including cardiac anomalies and limb-reduction defects) following exposure to CHCs before conception or during early pregnancy.

🧒 Pediatric Use 52 words ▾

8.4Pediatric Use Safety and efficacy of Lo Loestrin Fe have been established in women of reproductive age. Safety and efficacy are expected to be the same in postpubertal adolescents under the age of 18 years as for users 18 years and older. Use of this product before menarche is not indicated.

🧓 Geriatric Use 20 words ▾

8.5Geriatric Use Lo Loestrin Fe has not been studied in postmenopausal women and is not indicated in this population.

🆘 Overdosage 29 words ▾

10 OVERDOSAGE There have been no reports of serious ill effects from overdose of oral contraceptives, including ingestion by children. Overdosage may cause withdrawal bleeding in females and nausea.

🧬 Clinical Pharmacology ~3 min read ▾

12 CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY Figure 2. Mean (± SD) plasma ethinyl estradiol concentration versus time profiles following single- and multiple-dose oral administration of Lo Loestrin Fe to healthy female volunteers (n = 15) Figure 3. Mean (± SD) plasma norethindrone concentration versus time profiles following single- and multiple-dose oral administration of Lo Loestrin Fe to healthy female volunteers (n = 15)

12.1Mechanism of Action CHCs prevent pregnancy primarily by suppressing ovulation.

12.2Pharmacodynamics No specific pharmacodynamic studies were conducted with Lo Loestrin Fe.

12.3Pharmacokinetics Absorption Norethindrone acetate is deacetylated to norethindrone after oral administration, and the disposition of norethindrone acetate is indistinguishable from that of orally administered norethindrone. Norethindrone acetate and ethinyl estradiol are absorbed from Lo Loestrin Fe, with maximum plasma concentrations of norethindrone and ethinyl estradiol generally occurring 1 to 2 hours postdose. Both are subject to first-pass metabolism after oral dosing, resulting in an absolute bioavailability of approximately 64 percent for norethindrone and 55 percent for ethinyl estradiol.

The rate of norethindrone and ethinyl estradiol absorption from Lo Loestrin Fe tablets containing the combination of 1 mg norethindrone acetate and 10 mcg ethinyl estradiol is slower than that from a norethindrone suspension/ethinyl estradiol solution, but the extent of absorption is equivalent. Ethinyl estradiol bioavailability from Lo Loestrin Fe tablets containing 10 mcg ethinyl estradiol alone is equivalent to that from an ethinyl estradiol solution. The plasma norethindrone and ethinyl estradiol pharmacokinetic profiles and serum sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) concentrations following multiple-dose administration of Lo Loestrin Fe were characterized in 15 healthy female volunteers.

The mean plasma concentrations are shown below ( Figures 2 and 3 ), and pharmacokinetic parameters are found in Table 2 . Ethinyl estradiol and norethindrone C max values increase by a factor of 1.4 and 1.9, respectively, following 24 days administration of Lo Loestrin Fe combination tablets as compared to single-dose administration. Ethinyl estradiol and norethindrone AUC 0–24h values increase by a factor of 1.6 and 2.5, respectively, following 24 days administration of Lo Loestrin Fe combination tablets as compared to single-dose administration.

Norethindrone concentrations more than double by Day 24 due to both accumulation and increased SHBG concentration. Steady state with respect to ethinyl estradiol and norethindrone is reached by Day 5 and Day 13, respectively. Figure 2.

Mean (± SD) plasma ethinyl estradiol concentration versus time profiles following single- and multiple-dose oral administration of Lo Loestrin Fe to healthy female volunteers (n = 15) Figure 3. Mean (± SD) plasma norethindrone concentration versus time profiles following single- and multiple-dose oral administration of Lo Loestrin Fe to healthy female volunteers (n = 15) Table 2. Summary of Norethindrone (NE) and Ethinyl Estradiol (EE) Pharmacokinetic Parameter Values Following Oral Administration of Lo Loestrin Fe to Healthy Female Volunteers (n = 15) Regimen Study Day Arithmetic Mean a (Percent CV) by Pharmacokinetic Parameter Analyte C max t max AUC 0 - 24h C min C avg Single Dose Lo Loestrin Fe combination tablet c 1 NE 7360 (21) 1.7 (1.3-6.0) 33280 (33) -- -- EE 50.9 (27) 1.3 (1.0-6.0) 389.9 (27) -- -- SHBG -- -- -- 54.8 (33) b -- Multiple Dose Lo Loestrin Fe combination tablet c x 24 days 24 NE 13900 (34) 1.3 (0.7-3.0) 84160 (41) 917 (84) 3510 (41) EE 71.3 (33) 1.3 (0.3–2.0) 621.3 (41) 10.0 (92) 25.9 (41) SHBG -- -- -- 109 (38) -- Multiple Dose Lo Loestrin Fe combination tablet c x 24 days and ethinyl estradiol alone tablet d x 2 days 26 EE 49.9 (34) 1.3 (0.7–3.0) 403.6 (50) -- -- C max = Maximum plasma concentration (pg/mL); t max = Time of Cmax (h); AUC 0 - 24h = Area under plasma co… [Excerpted — this section continues on DailyMed.]

🧬 Mechanism of Action 11 words ▾

12.1Mechanism of Action CHCs prevent pregnancy primarily by suppressing ovulation.

📦 How Supplied / Storage and Handling ~1 min read ▾

16 H OW SUPPLIED/STORAGE AND HANDLING

16.1How Supplied Lo Loestrin ® Fe (norethindrone acetate and ethinyl estradiol tablets, ethinyl estradiol tablets and ferrous fumarate tablets) is available in blister cards (dispensers) containing 28 tablets: NDC 0430-0420-14 Cartons of 5 blister cards (dispensers) NDC 0430-0420-60 Cartons of 30 blister cards (dispensers) Each blister card (28 tablets) contains in the following order: 24 blue, round tablets (active) imprinted with “WC” on one side and “421” on the other and each containing 1 mg norethindrone and 10 mcg ethinyl estradiol 2 white, hexagonal tablets (active) imprinted with “WC” on one side and “422” on the other and each containing 10 mcg ethinyl estradiol 2 brown, round tablets (non-hormonal placebo) imprinted with “WC” on one side and “624” on the other and each containing 75 mg ferrous fumarate

16.2Storage Conditions Store at 25º C (77º F); excursions permitted to 15 - 30º C (59 - 86º F) [see USP Controlled Room Temperature]. Keep this drug and all drugs out of the reach of children.

16.1How Supplied Lo Loestrin ® Fe (norethindrone acetate and ethinyl estradiol tablets, ethinyl estradiol tablets and ferrous fumarate tablets) is available in blister cards (dispensers) containing 28 tablets: NDC 0430-0420-14 Cartons of 5 blister cards (dispensers) NDC 0430-0420-60 Cartons of 30 blister cards (dispensers) Each blister card (28 tablets) contains in the following order: 24 blue, round tablets (active) imprinted with “WC” on one side and “421” on the other and each containing 1 mg norethindrone and 10 mcg ethinyl estradiol 2 white, hexagonal tablets (active) imprinted with “WC” on one side and “422” on the other and each containing 10 mcg ethinyl estradiol 2 brown, round tablets (non-hormonal placebo) imprinted with “WC” on one side and “624” on the other and each containing 75 mg ferrous fumarate

📦 Storage and Handling 37 words ▾

16.2Storage Conditions Store at 25º C (77º F); excursions permitted to 15 - 30º C (59 - 86º F) [see USP Controlled Room Temperature]. Keep this drug and all drugs out of the reach of children.

📋 Description ~1 min read ▾

11 D ESCRIPTION Lo Loestrin Fe (norethindrone acetate and ethinyl estradiol tablets, ethinyl estradiol tablets and ferrous fumarate tablets) provides an oral contraceptive regimen consisting of 24 blue active tablets and 2 white active tablets that contain the active ingredients specified for each tablet below, followed by 2 non-hormonal placebo tablets: 24 blue, round tablets each containing 1 mg norethindrone acetate and 10 mcg ethinyl estradiol 2 white, hexagonal tablets each containing 10 mcg ethinyl estradiol 2 brown, round tablets each containing 75 mg ferrous fumarate Each blue tablet also contains the inactive ingredients mannitol, microcrystalline cellulose, FD&C Blue No.

1 Aluminum Lake, sodium starch glycolate, magnesium stearate, povidone, vitamin E and lactose monohydrate. Each white tablet also contains the inactive ingredients mannitol, microcrystalline cellulose, sodium starch glycolate, magnesium stearate, povidone, vitamin E and lactose monohydrate. Each brown tablet contains ferrous fumarate, mannitol, povidone, microcrystalline cellulose, sodium starch glycolate, magnesium stearate, sucralose and spearmint flavor.

The ferrous fumarate tablets do not serve any therapeutic purpose. Ferrous fumarate tablets are not USP for dissolution and assay. The empirical formula of ethinyl estradiol is C 20 H 24 O 2 and the structural formula is: The chemical name of ethinyl estradiol is [19-Norpregna-1,3,5(10)-trien-20-yne-3,17-diol, (17α)-].

The empirical formula of norethindrone acetate is C 22 H 28 O 3 and the structural formula is: The chemical name of norethindrone acetate is [19-Norpregn-4-en-20-yn-3-one, 17-(acetyloxy)-, (17α)-]. The chemical name of ethinyl estradiol is [19-Norpregna-1,3,5(10)-trien-20-yne-3,17-diol, (17)-]. The chemical name of norethindrone acetate is [19-Norpregn-4-en-20-yn-3-one, 17-(acetyloxy)-, (17)-].

💬 Information for Patients ~1 min read ▾

17 P ATIENT COUNSELING INFORMATION Counsel patients that cigarette smoking increases the risk of serious cardiovascular events from COC use, and that women who are over 35 years old and smoke should not use COCs. Counsel patients that Lo Loestrin Fe does not protect against HIV infection (AIDS) and other sexually transmitted diseases. Counsel patients on the Warnings and Precautions associated with COCs.

Counsel patients to take one tablet daily by mouth at the same time every day. Instruct patients what to do in the event pills are missed. See “What to Do if You Miss Pills” section in FDA-Approved Patient Labeling.

Counsel patients to use a back-up or alternative method of contraception when enzyme inducers are used with Lo Loestrin Fe. Counsel patients who are breastfeeding or who desire to breastfeed that COCs may reduce breast milk production. This is less likely to occur if breastfeeding is well established.

Counsel any patient who starts COCs postpartum, and who has not yet had a period, to use an additional method of contraception until she has taken a blue tablet for 7 consecutive days. Counsel patients that amenorrhea may occur. Rule out pregnancy in the event of amenorrhea in two or more consecutive cycles.

Distributed by: AbbVie Inc. North Chicago, IL 60064 Lo Loestrin Fe and its design are trademarks of Allergan Pharmaceuticals International Limited, an AbbVie company. © 2025 AbbVie. All rights reserved.

Rev. 03/2025 2000017944

🧬 Pharmacokinetics ~3 min read ▾

12.3Pharmacokinetics Absorption Norethindrone acetate is deacetylated to norethindrone after oral administration, and the disposition of norethindrone acetate is indistinguishable from that of orally administered norethindrone. Norethindrone acetate and ethinyl estradiol are absorbed from Lo Loestrin Fe, with maximum plasma concentrations of norethindrone and ethinyl estradiol generally occurring 1 to 2 hours postdose. Both are subject to first-pass metabolism after oral dosing, resulting in an absolute bioavailability of approximately 64 percent for norethindrone and 55 percent for ethinyl estradiol.

The rate of norethindrone and ethinyl estradiol absorption from Lo Loestrin Fe tablets containing the combination of 1 mg norethindrone acetate and 10 mcg ethinyl estradiol is slower than that from a norethindrone suspension/ethinyl estradiol solution, but the extent of absorption is equivalent. Ethinyl estradiol bioavailability from Lo Loestrin Fe tablets containing 10 mcg ethinyl estradiol alone is equivalent to that from an ethinyl estradiol solution. The plasma norethindrone and ethinyl estradiol pharmacokinetic profiles and serum sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) concentrations following multiple-dose administration of Lo Loestrin Fe were characterized in 15 healthy female volunteers.

The mean plasma concentrations are shown below ( Figures 2 and 3 ), and pharmacokinetic parameters are found in Table 2 . Ethinyl estradiol and norethindrone C max values increase by a factor of 1.4 and 1.9, respectively, following 24 days administration of Lo Loestrin Fe combination tablets as compared to single-dose administration. Ethinyl estradiol and norethindrone AUC 0–24h values increase by a factor of 1.6 and 2.5, respectively, following 24 days administration of Lo Loestrin Fe combination tablets as compared to single-dose administration.

Norethindrone concentrations more than double by Day 24 due to both accumulation and increased SHBG concentration. Steady state with respect to ethinyl estradiol and norethindrone is reached by Day 5 and Day 13, respectively. Figure 2.

Mean (± SD) plasma ethinyl estradiol concentration versus time profiles following single- and multiple-dose oral administration of Lo Loestrin Fe to healthy female volunteers (n = 15) Figure 3. Mean (± SD) plasma norethindrone concentration versus time profiles following single- and multiple-dose oral administration of Lo Loestrin Fe to healthy female volunteers (n = 15) Table 2. Summary of Norethindrone (NE) and Ethinyl Estradiol (EE) Pharmacokinetic Parameter Values Following Oral Administration of Lo Loestrin Fe to Healthy Female Volunteers (n = 15) Regimen Study Day Arithmetic Mean a (Percent CV) by Pharmacokinetic Parameter Analyte C max t max AUC 0 - 24h C min C avg Single Dose Lo Loestrin Fe combination tablet c 1 NE 7360 (21) 1.7 (1.3-6.0) 33280 (33) -- -- EE 50.9 (27) 1.3 (1.0-6.0) 389.9 (27) -- -- SHBG -- -- -- 54.8 (33) b -- Multiple Dose Lo Loestrin Fe combination tablet c x 24 days 24 NE 13900 (34) 1.3 (0.7-3.0) 84160 (41) 917 (84) 3510 (41) EE 71.3 (33) 1.3 (0.3–2.0) 621.3 (41) 10.0 (92) 25.9 (41) SHBG -- -- -- 109 (38) -- Multiple Dose Lo Loestrin Fe combination tablet c x 24 days and ethinyl estradiol alone tablet d x 2 days 26 EE 49.9 (34) 1.3 (0.7–3.0) 403.6 (50) -- -- C max = Maximum plasma concentration (pg/mL); t max = Time of Cmax (h); AUC 0 - 24h = Area under plasma concentration versus time curve from 0 to 24 hours (pg·h/mL); C min = Minimum plasma concentration (pg/mL); C avg = Average plasma concentration = AUC 0- 24h /24 (pg/mL) Percent CV = Coefficient of Variation (percent); SHBG = Sex hormone binding globulin (nmol/L) a The median (range) is reported for t max b The C min concentration reported for SHBG is the pre-dose concentration c Lo Loestrin Fe combination tablets contain 1 mg norethindrone acetate and 10 mcg ethinyl estradiol d Lo Loestrin Fe ethinyl estradiol alone tablets contain 10 mcg ethinyl estradiol Food Effect : Lo Loestrin… [Excerpted — this section continues on DailyMed.]

🧬 Pharmacodynamics 12 words ▾

12.2Pharmacodynamics No specific pharmacodynamic studies were conducted with Lo Loestrin Fe.

🔬 Clinical Studies ~1 min read ▾

14 CLINICAL STUDIES In a one year (thirteen 28-day cycles) multicenter open-label clinical trial, 1,270 women 18 to 35 years of age, were studied to assess the efficacy of Lo Loestrin Fe, completing the equivalent of 12,482 28-day evaluable cycles of exposure. The racial demographic of all enrolled women was: Caucasian (74.9 percent), African-American (11.8 percent), Hispanic (9.8 percent), Asian (1.3 percent), and Other (2.2 percent). Women with body mass index (BMI) greater than 35 kg/m 2 were excluded from the study.

The weight range for those women treated was 89 to 260 lbs., with a mean weight of 150 lbs. Among the women in the trial, 51 percent had not used hormonal contraception immediately prior to enrolling in this study. Of treated women, 13.7 percent were lost to follow-up, 10.7 percent discontinued due to an adverse event, and 8.9 percent discontinued by withdrawing their consent.

The pregnancy rate (Pearl Index [PI] ) in women 18 to 35 years of age was 2. 92 pregnancies per 100 women-years of use (95 percent confidence interval 1.94 – 4.21) , based on 28 pregnancies that occurred after the onset of treatment and extending through the 7 days following the last dose of Lo Loestrin Fe. Cycles in which conception did not occur, but which included the use of backup contraception, were not included in the calculation of the PI.

The PI includes women who did not take the drug correctly.

🧪 Nonclinical Toxicology 18 words ▾

13 NONCLINICAL TOXICOLOGY

13.1Carcinogenesis, Mutagenesis, Impairment of Fertility [See Warnings and Precautions ( 5.2 , 5.3 )]

📄 Carcinogenesis, Mutagenesis, Impairment of Fertility 15 words ▾

13.1Carcinogenesis, Mutagenesis, Impairment of Fertility [See Warnings and Precautions ( 5.2 , 5.3 )]

📄 Patient Package Insert ~3 min read ▾

FDA - Approved Patient Labeling Guide for Using Lo Loestrin Fe WARNING TO WOMEN WHO SMOKE Do not use Lo Loestrin Fe if you smoke cigarettes and are over 35 years old. Smoking increases your risk of serious cardiovascular side effects (heart and blood vessel problems) from birth control pills, including death from heart attack, blood clots or stroke. This risk increases with age and the number of cigarettes you smoke.

Birth control pills help to lower the chances of becoming pregnant when taken as directed. They do not protect against HIV infection (AIDS) and other sexually transmitted diseases. What is Lo Loestrin Fe ?

Lo Loestrin Fe is a birth control pill. It contains two female hormones, an estrogen called ethinyl estradiol, and a progestin called norethindrone acetate. How well does Lo Loestrin Fe work ?

Your chance of getting pregnant depends on how well you follow the directions for taking your birth control pills. The better you follow the directions, the less chance you have of getting pregnant. Based on the results of one clinical study, about 2 to 4 out of 100 women may get pregnant during the first year they use Lo Loestrin Fe.

Women with a BMI above 35 kg/m 2 were not studied in the clinical trial, so it is not known how well Lo Loestrin Fe protects against pregnancy in such women. If you are overweight, discuss with your healthcare provider whether Lo Loestrin Fe is the best choice for you. The following chart shows the chance of getting pregnant for women who use different methods of birth control.

Each box on the chart contains a list of birth control methods that are similar in effectiveness. The most effective methods are at the top of the chart. The box on the bottom of the chart shows the chance of getting pregnant for women who do not use birth control and are trying to get pregnant.

How do I take Lo Loestrin Fe ? Take one pill every day at the same time. If you miss pills you could get pregnant.

This includes starting the pack late. The more pills you miss, the more likely you are to get pregnant. You may have spotting or light bleeding, or may feel sick to your stomach during the first few months of taking Lo Loestrin Fe.

If you have spotting or light bleeding or feel sick to your stomach, do not stop taking the pill. The problem will usually go away. If it doesn't go away, check with your healthcare provider.

Missing pills can also cause spotting or light bleeding, even when you take these missed pills later. On the days you take 2 pills to make up for missed pills, you could also feel a little sick to your stomach. If you have trouble remembering to take Lo Loestrin Fe, talk to your healthcare provider about how to make pill-taking easier or about using another method of birth control.

If you have vomiting or diarrhea (within 3 to 4 hours after you take your pill), you should follow the instructions for “What to Do if You Miss Pills”. If you have any questions or are unsure about the information in this leaflet, call your healthcare provider. Before you start taking Lo Loestrin Fe 1.

Decide what time of day you want to take your pill. It is important to take it at the same time every day. 2.

Look at your pill pack: The Lo Loestrin Fe pill pack has 24 "active" blue pills (with hormones) and 2 “active” white pills (with hormones) for Weeks 1, 2, 3 and part of Week 4. The pill pack also has 2 "reminder" brown pills (without hormones) for the last part of Week 4. 3.

Find: Where on the pack to start taking pills, In what order to take the pills (follow the arrows), and The week numbers as shown in the picture above 4. Have ready at all times: Another kind of birth control (such as a condom and spermicide) to use as a back-up in case you miss pills An extra pill pack When to start the first pack of Lo Loestrin Fe Take the day label strip that starts with the first day of your period. (This is the day you start bleeding or spotting, even if it is almost midnight when the bleeding begins.) Place the day label s… [Excerpted — this section continues on DailyMed.]

📄 Recent Major Changes 7 words ▾

Warnings and Precautions ( 5.2 ) 04/2022

📄 Package Label / Principal Display Panel 200 words ▾

PRINCIPAL DISPLAY PANEL NDC 0430-0420-14 Rx only Lo Loestrin ® Fe (norethindrone acetate and ethinyl estradiol tablets, ethinyl estradiol tablets and ferrous fumarate tablets) 1 mg/10 mcg and 10 mcg Lo Loestrin ® Fe provides 26 days of active therapy 5 blister cards of 28 tablets each Allergan NDC 0430-0420-14 Rx only Lo Loestrin® Fe (norethindrone acetate and ethinyl estradiol tablets, ethinyl estradiol tablets and ferrous fumarate tablets) 1 mg/10 mcg and 10 mcg Lo Loestrin® Fe provides 26 days of active therapy 5 blister cards of 28 tablets each Allergan

PRINCIPAL DISPLAY PANEL NDC 0430-0420-95 Lo Loestrin ® Fe (norethindrone acetate and ethinyl estradiol tablets, ethinyl estradiol tablets and ferrous fumarate tablets) 1 mg/10 mcg and 10 mcg Lo Loestrin ® Fe provides 26 days of active therapy Rx only Physician’s Sample – Not For Sale This package contains 1 blister card of 28 tablets each Allergan NDC 0430-0420-95 Lo Loestrin® Fe (norethindrone acetate and ethinyl estradiol tablets, ethinyl estradiol tablets and ferrous fumarate tablets) 1 mg/10 mcg and 10 mcg Lo Loestrin® Fe provides 26 days of active therapy Rx only Physician’s Sample – Not For Sale This package contains 1 blister card of 28 tablets each Allergan

Source: FDA Structured Product Labeling, mirrored from DailyMed / openFDA. Prefer the government’s original formatting? View this label on DailyMed ↗

Medicaid utilization & spend

📍 This exact package only: Medicaid data is reported per full 11-digit NDC — labeler, product and pack size — so every number here is for this package alone, not the drug overall. Other pack sizes report separately.
💊 Pharmacy benefit only: These are Medicaid outpatient pharmacy claims, billed by NDC. They exclude the medical benefit — clinic- or hospital-administered drugs billed under HCPCS J-codes — so drugs used mostly that way (e.g. Avastin, Lucentis, Keytruda) can look low or missing here. That’s expected, not an error.
📅 Q1 2025 – Q4 2025 · 4 quarters of data
ⓘ The newest quarter is usually incomplete when first published; states restate recent quarters in later CMS releases, so the latest figures typically revise upward. State coverage-policy changes can also shift quarter-to-quarter totals.
Prescriptions last 4 qtrs
246.6K
Units reimbursed last 4 qtrs
11.8M
Gross reimbursed last 4 qtrs
$77.52M
Avg / prescription
$314.39
Avg / unit
$6.5916
Latest quarter Q4 2025
57.2KRx
Medicaid pays / ea
$6.5916
gross reimbursed
vs
NADAC / ea
$6.7661
acquisition cost
=
Spread
−$0.1745
-3% vs cost
What Medicaid paid per ea (before rebates; includes the pharmacy’s dispensing fee) compared with NADAC — the average price pharmacies pay to buy the drug. A positive spread means Medicaid reimbursed more than the purchase price, before manufacturer rebates.
Fee-for-service vs managed care ⓘ
47% FFS 53% MCO
Fee-for-service · 115,888 Rx Managed care · 130,689 Rx
State Medicaid map
Alaska: 15,792 units · 2,154 per 100k residents AK Maine: 16,324 units · 1,170 per 100k residents ME Washington: 131,320 units · 1,681 per 100k residents WA Idaho: 28,392 units · 1,446 per 100k residents ID Montana: 13,216 units · 1,167 per 100k residents MT North Dakota: 1,260 units · 161 per 100k residents ND Minnesota: 3,948 units · 68.8 per 100k residents MN Wisconsin: 116,450 units · 1,970 per 100k residents WI Michigan: 64,400 units · 642 per 100k residents MI New York: 1,017,641 units · 5,200 per 100k residents NY Vermont: 9,912 units · 1,532 per 100k residents VT New Hampshire: 20,944 units · 1,494 per 100k residents NH Oregon: 78,820 units · 1,862 per 100k residents OR Nevada: 40,040 units · 1,254 per 100k residents NV Wyoming: 4,116 units · 705 per 100k residents WY South Dakota: 3,248 units · 353 per 100k residents SD Iowa: 43,596 units · 1,359 per 100k residents IA Illinois: 409,044 units · 3,260 per 100k residents IL Indiana: 210,028 units · 3,061 per 100k residents IN Ohio: 416,497 units · 3,534 per 100k residents OH Pennsylvania: 506,834 units · 3,910 per 100k residents PA New Jersey: 46,032 units · 496 per 100k residents NJ Massachusetts: 190,764 units · 2,725 per 100k residents MA California: 1,963,007 units · 5,038 per 100k residents CA Utah: 14,980 units · 438 per 100k residents UT Colorado: 197,484 units · 3,360 per 100k residents CO Nebraska: 35,476 units · 1,794 per 100k residents NE Missouri: 301,392 units · 4,864 per 100k residents MO Kentucky: 396,424 units · 8,759 per 100k residents KY West Virginia: 131,808 units · 7,447 per 100k residents WV Virginia: 70,084 units · 804 per 100k residents VA Maryland: 68,964 units · 1,116 per 100k residents MD Connecticut: 370,412 units · 10,241 per 100k residents CT Rhode Island: 3,276 units · 299 per 100k residents RI Arizona: 19,684 units · 265 per 100k residents AZ New Mexico: 4,872 units · 230 per 100k residents NM Kansas: 75,880 units · 2,581 per 100k residents KS Arkansas: 161,147 units · 5,254 per 100k residents AR Tennessee: 778,964 units · 10,931 per 100k residents TN North Carolina: 879,842 units · 8,120 per 100k residents NC South Carolina: 75,880 units · 1,412 per 100k residents SC Delaware: 9,072 units · 880 per 100k residents DE Oklahoma: 380,996 units · 9,400 per 100k residents OK Louisiana: 628,037 units · 13,731 per 100k residents LA Mississippi: 420 units · 14.3 per 100k residents MS Alabama: 243,316 units · 4,763 per 100k residents AL Georgia: 19,712 units · 179 per 100k residents GA D.C.: 1,070 units · 158 per 100k residents DC Hawaii: 26,684 units · 1,860 per 100k residents HI Texas: 905,803 units · 2,970 per 100k residents TX Florida: 607,383 units · 2,686 per 100k residents FL
Units reimbursed · per 100k residents
14.313,731
gray = no data reported ⓘ
Colors are per 100,000 residents, so big states don’t automatically dominate. Tap or hover a state for its actual totals.
Tap or hover a state
…for its Medicaid breakdown
🏆 Top states by units · per 100k residents
1 Louisiana 13,731 /100k
2 Tennessee 10,931 /100k
3 Connecticut 10,241 /100k
4 Oklahoma 9,400 /100k
5 Kentucky 8,759 /100k
6 North Carolina 8,120 /100k
7 West Virginia 7,447 /100k
8 Arkansas 5,254 /100k
National units — by quarter
💵 About the dollar figures: “reimbursed” is what Medicaid paid pharmacies before confidential manufacturer rebates, so the program’s real net cost is lower than these numbers. Fee-for-service and managed-care claims are combined unless split above. Source: CMS State Drug Utilization Data; per-100k rates use 2023 Census population estimates.

Medicaid utilization by pack size

Medicaid (SDUD) totals over the four most recent reported quarters for every package size of this drug — handy when a specific package (e.g. a starter/titration pack) carries little or no Medicaid volume on its own.
1 kit this page00430-0420-14 246,577 Rx · $77,521,760
1 kit00430-0420-60 No Medicaid data
1 kit00430-0420-95 No Medicaid data
Drug total (last 4 qtrs): 246,577 Rx · 11,760,687 units · $77,521,760 gross reimbursed
Tap a pack size to open its page. Source: CMS State Drug Utilization Data, last 4 quarters.

Medicare Part D spend CMS · PART D · 2026 (Q1)

Medicare Part D (outpatient prescription) spending for Lo Loestrin Fe — the program that covers self-administered drugs. 1 manufacturer.
⚠️ Drug-level data: CMS publishes Part D spending by drug, not by NDC — these figures combine every manufacturer, strength and package size sold under the name Lo Loestrin Fe. That’s a different level of aggregation than the Medicaid card above, which is specific to this exact 11-digit NDC (pack size included), so the two aren’t directly comparable.
Period
Total Part D spend
$353.1K
Claims incl. refills
979
Beneficiaries
618
Spend / beneficiary
$571.42
Spend / claim
$360.71
Trend by period
💵 About the dollar figures: spending is what Part D plans paid before confidential manufacturer rebates, so the program’s real net cost is lower. A blank patient count means fewer than 11 people — CMS hides counts that small to protect privacy. Source: CMS Medicare Quarterly Part D Spending by Drug (data.cms.gov), updated quarterly.

Reported adverse events (FAERS)

Read carefully: FAERS reports are voluntary and unverified. Counts are not incidence, do not establish causation, are subject to reporting bias, and cannot be used to compare one drug to another. Shown for signal context only. Reports for Norethindrone acetate and ethinyl estradiol, ethinyl estradiol and ferrous fumarate — the ingredient across all brands.

Top reported reactions

Amenorrhoea220
Nausea198
Headache161
Metrorrhagia156
Anxiety142
Fatigue138
Depression120

Reporter sex

3,177 reports

Serious outcomes

Life-threatening59
Disabling56
Death10
Reports over time (by year) — tap or hover for the count & year
2019 2021 2023 2026 366 0
Most recent year is provisional (FAERS lags ~3 months).
Where does this data come from?
Adverse-event reports from the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) via openFDA. FAERS reports are voluntary and unverified — counts are not incidence and don’t establish causation.

About this NDC listing & data coverage

Finished prescription product Kit / multi-component package

Kit / multi-component package

This NDC identifies a kit — a package containing more than one component. Structured data (pricing, ingredients, equivalents) is often reported per component rather than for the kit NDC itself, which can make this page look thinner than the components' own pages.

What data is (and isn’t) available for this NDC — tap to expand
NDC identity (package / product / labeler codes) ✓ Available
Labeler ✓ Available
Product & package description ✓ Available
Marketing category & status ✓ Available
Active ingredient / dosage form / route ✓ Available
FDA label (SPL via DailyMed) ✓ Available
Package photos ✓ Available
Inactive ingredients (structured) — Not published for this NDC The labeler did not submit a structured excipient list, or no SPL is available.
NADAC pharmacy acquisition price (CMS) ✓ Available
Orange Book / therapeutic-equivalence data ✓ Available
HCPCS J-code billing crosswalk — Not published for this NDC Most self-administered / retail products have no J-code — that is normal.
Medicaid utilization (CMS SDUD) ✓ Available
“Not published” reflects what the public FDA / CMS / NLM sources provide for this exact package code — it is a property of the data feeds, not a judgment about the product.

Questions about this listing

Is the NDC printed on the package the same as the 11-digit billing NDC?
Yes, they identify this exact package in different formats. The form printed on the packaging and shown on DailyMed is the one the FDA registered. Insurance claims use a fixed 11-digit 5-4-2 format, so the short segment is padded with a leading zero and the dashes are dropped. The Identity section at the top of this page lists each form of this code.
Is this package still being marketed?
Yes, per the latest FDA NDC Directory data on this page: this package is listed as actively marketed, with no marketing end date reported by Allergan, Inc.. Listing status can change — the directory data on this page refreshes weekly.
Does this product come in other package sizes?
Yes — the FDA directory lists 2 other package presentations of this same product, including 1 kit (00430-0420-60), 1 kit (00430-0420-95). Each has its own NDC and its own page — see the package list near the top of this page.
Who lists this product with the FDA?
Allergan, Inc. is the labeler of record for this NDC — the company under whose FDA-assigned code the package is listed. The labeler may be the manufacturer itself or a distributor marketing the product under its own code.
Do I need a prescription for this product?
This NDC is listed with FDA as a prescription product, so it is dispensed under a prescriber's order. Your pharmacist can tell you whether any over-the-counter forms of the same medication exist.
This page identifies an FDA-listed package (the NDC) and reports public regulatory and pricing data about the listing. It is reference information, not a medical recommendation — talk to your pharmacist or prescriber about your own medication.
Where does this data come from?
Listing facts (marketing category, packager status, marketing dates) from the FDA openFDA NDC Directory; label availability from DailyMed; pricing coverage from CMS NADAC; equivalence scope from the FDA Orange Book.
For educational and professional reference only — not medical advice. Pricing reflects published NADAC and CMS ASP (free public data) and may differ from your acquisition cost; always verify before billing or dispensing.