WHAT ARE LOVIMA 75 MICROGRAM FILM-COATED TABLETS (DESOGESTREL)?
Lovima 75 microgram film-coated tablets are a daily oral contraceptive now available without prescription from a pharmacy for purchase as a P medicine to prevent pregnancy in women.
Lovima is a type of progesterone-only pill (POP) that contains the progestogen desogestrel. Desogestrel has been available as a Prescription-Only Medicine (POM) since 1998 (initially as Cerazette; other brands are now available, such as Cerelle and Feanolla). It has now been reclassified and approved for sale as Lovima, a P medicine to supplied by a pharmacist as a daily oral hormonal contraceptive for women of child bearing age.
HOW DOES DESOGESTREL WORK?
Relative hormone levels during ovulation
Lovima 75 microgram film-coated tablets contain the progestogen desogestrel, which has been shown to inhibit ovulation in up to 97% of cycles.
Although desogestrel's primary contraceptive effect is inhibition of ovulation, secondary effects include increasing the viscosity of cervical mucus making it difficult for the sperm to reach the egg if ovulation has occurred.
By contrast, traditional POPs such as levonorgestrel is thought to prevent pregnancy primarily by thickening the mucus in the cervix to stop sperm reaching the egg, and complete inhibition of ovulation is achieved in only about 60% of the cycles with, for example levonorgestrel.
Owing to its ability to prevent ovulation, desogestrel can be taken up to 36 hours after the last pill (less than 12 hours late) without loss of contraceptive efficacy compared with 3 hours late for traditional POPs.