


Package Leaflet: Information for the User
Drospirenone/Ethinylestradiol Exeltis Healthcare 3 mg/0.02 mg Film-Coated Tablets EFG
Read this package leaflet carefully before you start taking this medicine because it contains important information for you.
Important things to know about combined hormonal contraceptives (CHCs):
Contents of the package leaflet
Drospirenone/Ethinylestradiol is a contraceptive and is used to prevent pregnancy.
Each film-coated tablet contains a small amount of two different female hormones, called ethinylestradiol and drospirenone.
Contraceptives that contain two hormones are called combined contraceptives.
General considerations
Before starting to take drospirenone/ethinylestradiol, you should read the information about blood clots in section 2. It is particularly important that you read the symptoms of a blood clot (see section 2 "Blood clots").
Before starting to take drospirenone/ethinylestradiol, your doctor will ask you some questions about your personal and family medical history. The doctor will also measure your blood pressure and, depending on your state of health, may perform other tests.
This prospectus describes several situations in which you should interrupt the use of drospirenone/ethinylestradiol, or in which the effect of drospirenone/ethinylestradiol may decrease.
In such situations, you should not have sexual intercourse or should take additional non-hormonal contraceptive precautions, for example, use a condom or another barrier method.
Do not use the rhythm method or the temperature method. These methods may not be reliable since drospirenone/ethinylestradiol alters the monthly changes in body temperature and cervical mucus.
Drospirenone/ethinylestradiol, like other hormonal contraceptives, does not protect against HIV infection (AIDS) or any other sexually transmitted disease.
Do not take Drospirenone/Ethinylestradiol Exeltis Healthcare
You should not take drospirenone/ethinylestradiol if you have any of the conditions listed below. Inform your doctor if you have any of the conditions listed below. Your doctor will discuss other forms of contraception that would be more suitable for you.
Additional information on special populations
Children and adolescents
Drospirenone/Ethinylestradiol is not indicated for use in women who have not yet had their first menstrual period.
Older women
Drospirenone/Ethinylestradiol is not indicated for use after menopause.
Women with liver insufficiency
Do not take Drospirenone/Ethinylestradiol if you suffer from liver disease. See sections "Do not take Drospirenone/Ethinylestradiol Exeltis Healthcare" and "Warnings and precautions".
Women with renal insufficiency
Do not take Drospirenone/Ethinylestradiol if you are suffering from kidney malfunction or acute renal insufficiency. See sections "Do not take Drospirenone/Ethinylestradiol Exeltis Healthcare" and "Warnings and precautions".
Warnings and precautions
Consult your doctor or pharmacist before starting to take drospirenone/ethinylestradiol.
When should you consult your doctor? Seek urgent medical attention
To obtain a description of the symptoms of these serious side effects, see "How to recognize a blood clot". |
Tell your doctor if you suffer from any of the following conditions
In some situations, you will need to be particularly careful while taking drospirenone/ethinylestradiol or any other combined contraceptive, and your doctor may need to perform regular checks on you. If the condition develops or worsens while you are taking drospirenone/ethinylestradiol, you should also inform your doctor.
BLOOD CLOTS
The use of a combined hormonal contraceptive like drospirenone/ethinylestradiol increases your risk of developing a blood clot compared to not using it. In rare cases, a blood clot can block blood vessels and cause serious problems.
Blood clots can form:
Recovery from blood clots is not always complete. In rare cases, there can be serious long-term effects or, very rarely, they can be fatal.
It is important to remember that the overall risk of a harmful blood clot due to drospirenone/ethinylestradiol is small.
HOW TO RECOGNIZE A BLOOD CLOT
Seek urgent medical attention if you notice any of the following signs or symptoms.
Are you experiencing any of these signs? | What might you be suffering from? |
| Deep vein thrombosis. |
If you are unsure, consult a doctor, as some of these symptoms, such as cough or shortness of breath, can be confused with a milder condition such as a respiratory infection (e.g., a "common cold"). | Pulmonary embolism. |
Symptoms that occur more frequently in one eye:
| Retinal vein thrombosis (blood clot in the eye). |
| Heart attack. |
Sometimes the symptoms of a stroke can be brief, with almost immediate and complete recovery, but you should still seek urgent medical attention as you may be at risk of having another stroke. | Stroke. |
| Blood clots that block other blood vessels. |
BLOOD CLOTS IN A VEIN
What can happen if a blood clot forms in a vein?
When is the risk of developing a blood clot in a vein higher?
The risk of developing a blood clot in a vein is higher during the first year in which you take a combined hormonal contraceptive for the first time. The risk may also be higher if you start taking a combined hormonal contraceptive (the same medicine or a different one) after an interruption of 4 weeks or more.
After the first year, the risk decreases, but it is always slightly higher than if you were not taking a combined hormonal contraceptive.
When you stop taking drospirenone/ethinylestradiol, your risk of developing a blood clot returns to normal within a few weeks.
What is the risk of developing a blood clot?
The risk depends on your natural risk of VTE and the type of combined hormonal contraceptive you are taking.
The overall risk of developing a blood clot in the leg or lung (DVT or PE) with drospirenone/ethinylestradiol is small.
Risk of developing a blood clot in a year | |
Women who do not usea combined hormonal contraceptive and are not pregnant | About 2 out of 10,000 women |
Women who use a combined hormonal contraceptive that contains levonorgestrel, norethisterone or norgestimate | About 5-7 out of 10,000 women |
Women who use drospirenone/ethinylestradiol | About 9-12 out of 10,000 women |
Factors that increase your risk of a blood clot in a vein
The risk of having a blood clot with drospirenone/ethinylestradiol is small, but some conditions increase the risk. Your risk is higher:
The risk of developing a blood clot increases with the number of conditions you have.
Long-haul flights (more than 4 hours) may temporarily increase the risk of a blood clot, especially if you have any of the other risk factors listed.
It is important to inform your doctor if you suffer from any of the above conditions, even if you are not sure. Your doctor may decide that you need to stop using drospirenone/ethinylestradiol.
If any of the above conditions change while you are using drospirenone/ethinylestradiol, for example, a close relative experiences a thrombosis without a known cause or you gain a lot of weight, inform your doctor.
BLOOD CLOTS IN AN ARTERY
What can happen if a blood clot forms in an artery?
Like a blood clot in a vein, a clot in an artery can cause serious problems. For example, it can cause a heart attack or a stroke.
Factors that increase your risk of a blood clot in an artery
It is important to note that the risk of a heart attack or stroke due to drospirenone/ethinylestradiol is very small, but it can increase:
If you have more than one of these conditions or if any of them are particularly severe, the risk of developing a blood clot may be increased even further.
If any of the above conditions change while you are using drospirenone/ethinylestradiol, for example, you start smoking, a close relative experiences a thrombosis without a known cause or you gain a lot of weight, inform your doctor.
Drospirenone/Ethinylestradiol Exeltis Healthcare and cancer
It has been observed that breast cancer is slightly more common in women who use combined contraceptives, but it is not known if this is due to the treatment. For example, it may be that more tumors are detected in women who take combined contraceptives because they are examined more frequently.
Follow exactly the administration instructions of this medication indicated by your doctor or pharmacist. In case of doubt, consult your doctor or pharmacist again.
Take one drospirenone/ethinylestradiol tablet every day with some water if necessary. You can take the tablets with or without food, but always approximately at the same time every day.
The blister pack contains 21 film-coated tablets. The day of the week on which you should take the tablet is printed next to each tablet. For example, if you start on a Wednesday, you should take a tablet with “WED” next to it. Follow the direction of the arrow on the blister pack until you have taken all 21 tablets.
After that, you should not take any tablets for 7 days. During these 7 days in which you do not take tablets (called the rest week), you should have your period. Usually, the period, which can also be called withdrawal bleeding, starts on the second or third day of the rest week.
On the eighth day after taking the last drospirenone/ethinylestradiol tablet (i.e., after the 7-day rest period), you should start with the next blister pack, even if you have not yet finished your period. This means you should start each blister pack on the same day of the week that you started the previous one, and your period should take place during the same days each month.
If you take drospirenone/ethinylestradiol in this way, you are also protected against pregnancy during the 7 days in which you do not take any tablets.
When can you start with the first blister pack?
Start taking drospirenone/ethinylestradiol on the first day of your cycle (i.e., the first day of your period). If you start drospirenone/ethinylestradiol on the first day of your period, you will be immediately protected against pregnancy. You can also start on days 2-5 of your cycle, but you must use additional contraceptive methods (e.g., a condom) during the first 7 days.
You can start taking drospirenone/ethinylestradiol preferably the day after taking the last active tablet of your previous contraceptive, but no later than the day after the rest week of your previous contraceptive (or after taking the last inactive tablet of your previous contraceptive). When changing from a combined vaginal ring or patch, follow your doctor's recommendations.
You can change from the progestin-only pill at any time (if it is an implant or intrauterine system, on the day of its removal; if it is an injectable, when the next injection is due), but in all cases, it is recommended that you use additional contraceptive measures (e.g., a condom) during the first 7 days of tablet-taking.
Follow your doctor's recommendations.
You can start taking drospirenone/ethinylestradiol between 21 and 28 days after having a child. If you start later than day 28, you must use a barrier method (e.g., a condom) during the first 7 days of using drospirenone/ethinylestradiol.
If, after having a child, you have had sexual intercourse before starting to take drospirenone/ethinylestradiol again, you must be sure that you are not pregnant or wait for your next period.
Read the section “Breastfeeding”.
Ask your doctor if you are not sure when to start.
If you take more Drospirenone/Ethinylestradiol Exeltis Healthcare than you should
No cases have been reported in which an overdose of drospirenone/ethinylestradiol has caused serious harm.
The symptoms that may appear if you take many tablets at once may be: feeling sick or vomiting or vaginal bleeding. This bleeding can occur even in girls who have not yet had their first period, if they accidentally take this medication.
If you have taken too many drospirenone/ethinylestradiol tablets, or discover that a child has taken them, consult your doctor or pharmacist immediately or call the Toxicology Information Service 91 562 04 20, indicating the medication and the amount used.
If you forget to take Drospirenone/Ethinylestradiol Exeltis Healthcare
The risk of incomplete protection against pregnancy is highest if you miss a tablet at the beginning of the blister pack (1st row) or at the end of week 3 (3rd row of the blister pack). Therefore, you should take the following measures (see also the diagram below):
Consult your doctor.
Take the missed tablet as soon as you remember, even if it means taking two tablets at the same time. Continue taking the following tablets at the usual time and use additional precautions, for example, a condom, for the next 7 days. If you have had sexual intercourse in the week before missing the tablet, you may be pregnant. In that case, consult your doctor.
Take the missed tablet as soon as you remember, even if it means taking two tablets at the same time. Continue taking the following tablets at the usual time. Pregnancy protection is not reduced, and you do not need to take additional precautions.
You can choose between two options:
You will probably have your period (withdrawal bleeding) at the end of the second blister pack, although you may experience light bleeding or spotting during the use of the second blister pack.
If you follow one of these two recommendations, you will remain protected against pregnancy.

What should you do in case of vomiting or severe diarrhea?
If you vomit within 3-4 hours after taking a tablet or have severe diarrhea, there is a risk that the active ingredients of the contraceptive will not be fully absorbed by the body. This is similar to what happens when you miss a tablet. After vomiting or diarrhea, you should take a tablet from a reserve blister pack as soon as possible. If possible, within 12 hoursafter the usual time you take your contraceptive. If it is not possible or more than 12 hours have passed, follow the advice in the section “If you forget to take Drospirenone/Ethinylestradiol Exeltis Healthcare”.
Delayed period: what should you know?
Although it is not recommended, you can delay your period (withdrawal bleeding) if you start taking a new blister pack of drospirenone/ethinylestradiol instead of continuing with the rest week and finish it. You may experience light bleeding or spotting during the use of the second blister pack. After the usual rest week, startthe next blister pack.
You should ask your doctor for advice before deciding to delay your period.
Changing the first day of your period: what should you know?
If you take the tablets according to the instructions, your period will start during the rest week. If you need to change the day, reduce the number of rest days (but never increase them! – 7 is the maximum). For example, if your rest days usually start on Fridays and you want to change to Tuesdays (3 days earlier), you should start a new blister pack 3 days earlier than usual. If you make the rest week very short (e.g., 3 days or less), you may not have bleeding during these days. Then you may experience light bleeding or spotting.
If you are not sure how to proceed, consult your doctor.
If you stop treatment with Drospirenone/Ethinylestradiol Exeltis Healthcare
You can stop taking drospirenone/ethinylestradiol whenever you want. If you do not want to become pregnant, consult your doctor about other effective birth control methods. If you want to become pregnant, stop taking drospirenone/ethinylestradiol and wait until your period before trying to become pregnant. This way, you will be able to calculate the estimated date of delivery more easily.
If you have any other questions about the use of this medication, ask your doctor or pharmacist.
Like all medicines, this medicine can cause adverse effects, although not all people suffer from them.
If you experience any adverse effect, especially if it is severe and persistent, or have any change in health that you think may be due to drospirenone/ethinylestradiol, consult your doctor.
All women who take combined hormonal contraceptives are at a higher risk of developing blood clots in the veins (venous thromboembolism (VTE)) or blood clots in the arteries (arterial thromboembolism (ATE)). For more detailed information on the different risks of taking combined hormonal contraceptives, see section 2 "What you need to know before taking Drospirenone/Ethinylestradiol Exeltis Healthcare".
Severe Adverse Effects
Contact a doctor immediately if you experience any of the following symptoms of angioedema: swelling of the face, tongue, and/or throat, and/or difficulty swallowing or urticaria with possible difficulty breathing (see also the "Warnings and Precautions" section).
The following list of adverse effects has been associated with the use of drospirenone/ethinylestradiol.
Frequent Adverse Effects(may affect up to 1 in 10 patients):
Uncommon Adverse Effects(may affect up to 1 in 100 patients):
Rare Adverse Effects(may affect up to 1 in 1,000 patients):
The likelihood of having a blood clot may be higher if you have any other condition that increases this risk (see section 2 for more information on conditions that increase the risk of blood clots and symptoms of a blood clot).
Reporting Adverse Effects:
If you experience any type of adverse effect, consult your doctor or pharmacist, even if it is a possible adverse effect that is not listed in this prospectus. You can also report them directly through the Spanish Pharmacovigilance System for Human Use Medicines: https://www.notificaram.es. By reporting adverse effects, you can contribute to providing more information on the safety of this medicine.
Keep this medicine out of the sight and reach of children.
This medicine does not require special storage conditions.
Do not take this medicine after the expiration date stated on the packaging after CAD or EXP. The date is the last day of the month indicated.
Medicines should not be disposed of via wastewater or household waste. Deposit the packaging and any unused medicines in the SIGRE collection point at the pharmacy. In case of doubt, ask your pharmacist how to dispose of the packaging and any unused medicines. This will help protect the environment.
Composition of Drospirenone/Ethinylestradiol Exeltis Healthcare
The active ingredients are 0.02 mg of ethinylestradiol and 3 mg of drospirenone.
The other components are:
Core of the tablet: lactose monohydrate, pregelatinized corn starch, povidone, sodium croscarmellose, polysorbate 80, magnesium stearate.
Coating: partially hydrolyzed polyvinyl alcohol, titanium dioxide (E-171), macrogol 3350, talc, yellow iron oxide (E-172), red iron oxide (E-172), black iron oxide (E-172).
Appearance of Drospirenone/Ethinylestradiol Exeltis Healthcare and Package Contents
It is presented in the form of film-coated tablets, round, pink in color.
It is available in boxes of 1, 2, 3, 6, and 13 blisters, each with 21 tablets.
Only some package sizes may be marketed.
Marketing Authorization Holder and Manufacturer
Marketing Authorization Holder
Exeltis Healthcare, S.L.
Pol. Ind. Miralcampo, Avda. de Miralcampo 7, 19200
Azuqueca de Henares,
Guadalajara, Spain
Manufacturer
Laboratorios León Farma, S.A.
Pol. Ind. Navatejera, C/ La Vallina, s/n;
24193 - Villaquilambre, León
Spain
Date of the Last Revision of this Prospectus:November 2023
Detailed and updated information on this medicine is available on the website of the Spanish Agency for Medicines and Health Products (AEMPS) https://www.aemps.gob.es
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Discuss dosage, side effects, interactions, contraindications, and prescription renewal for DROSPIRENONE/ETHINYLESTRADIOL EXELTIS HEALTHCARE 3mg/0.02mg FILM-COATED TABLETS – subject to medical assessment and local rules.