


Package Leaflet: Information for the User
Ethinylestradiol/Drospirenone Cinfalab 0.02 mg/3 mg film-coated tabletsEFG
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
Ethinylestradiol/Drospirenone Cinfalab is a contraceptive and is used to prevent pregnancy.
Each active 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 etinilestradiol/drospirenona, 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 etinilestradiol/drospirenona, 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 carry out some other tests.
In this prospectus, several situations are described in which you should interrupt the use of etinilestradiol/drospirenona, or in which the effect of etinilestradiol/drospirenona may decrease. In such situations, you should not have sexual intercourse or should take additional non-hormonal contraceptive precautions, for example, use of a condom or another barrier method. Do not use the rhythm method or the temperature method. These methods may not be reliable since etinilestradiol/drospirenona alters the monthly changes in body temperature and cervical mucus.
Ethinylestradiol/drospirenona, like other hormonal contraceptives, does not protect against HIV infection (AIDS) or any other sexually transmitted disease.
When not to take etinilestradiol/drospirenona
You should not take etinilestradiol/drospirenona 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 with you what other form of contraception would be more suitable.
Do not take etinilestradiol/drospirenona cinfalab
Do not take etinilestradiol/drospirenona if you have hepatitis C and are taking medications that contain ombitasvir/paritaprevir/ritonavir and dasabuvir, glecaprevir/pibrentasvir or sofosbuvir/velpatasvir/voxilaprevir (see also the section "Other medicines and etinilestradiol/drospirenona cinfalab").
Additional information on special populations
Children and adolescents
Ethinylestradiol/drospirenona is not indicated for use in women who have not yet had their first menstrual period.
Older women
Ethinylestradiol/drospirenona is not indicated for use after menopause.
Women with liver insufficiency
Do not take etinilestradiol/drospirenona if you suffer from liver disease. See sections "Do not take etinilestradiol/drospirenona cinfalab" and "Warnings and precautions".
Women with renal insufficiency
Do not take etinilestradiol/drospirenona if you are suffering from kidney malfunction or acute kidney failure. See sections "Do not take etinilestradiol/drospirenona cinfalab" and "Warnings and precautions".
Warnings and precautions
Consult your doctor or pharmacist before starting to take etinilestradiol/drospirenona cinfalab.
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 etinilestradiol/drospirenona or any other combined contraceptive, and it may be necessary for your doctor to examine you periodically. If the condition develops or worsens while you are taking etinilestradiol/drospirenona, you should also inform your doctor.
BLOOD CLOTS
The use of a combined hormonal contraceptive like etinilestradiol/drospirenona increases your risk of having 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 lasting effects or, very rarely, they can be fatal.
It is important to remember that the overall risk of a harmful blood clot due to etinilestradiol/drospirenona 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 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 a blood clot in a vein higher?
The risk of 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 etinilestradiol/drospirenona, your risk of a blood clot returns to normal within a few weeks.
What is the risk of 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 a blood clot in the leg or lung (DVT or PE) with etinilestradiol/drospirenona is small.
Risk of 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 |
| About 5-7 out of 10,000 women |
Women who use etinilestradiol/drospirenona cinfalab | 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 etinilestradiol/drospirenona is small, but some conditions increase the risk. Your risk is higher:
The risk of 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 should stop taking etinilestradiol/drospirenona.
If any of the above conditions change while you are using etinilestradiol/drospirenona, for example, a close relative experiences a thrombosis without 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 etinilestradiol/drospirenona 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 a blood clot may be even higher.
If any of the above conditions change while you are using etinilestradiol/drospirenona, for example, you start smoking, a close relative experiences a thrombosis without known cause or you gain a lot of weight, inform your doctor.
Ethinylestradiol/drospirenona 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 due to the fact that women who use combined contraceptives are examined by their doctors more often, so breast cancer is detected earlier.
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 ethinylestradiol/drospirenone 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 pack (blister) contains 21 tablets. Next to each tablet is printed the day of the week on which you should take the tablet. If, for example, you start on a Wednesday, take a tablet with “WED” next to it. Follow the direction of the arrow on the pack until you have taken all 21 tablets.
Then, you should not take any tablets for 7 days. During these 7 days when you are not taking tablets (called the withdrawal week), you should have your period. The period, which may also be called withdrawal bleeding, usually starts on the 2nd or 3rd day of the withdrawal week.
On the 8th day after taking the last ethinylestradiol/drospirenone tablet (i.e., after the 7-day withdrawal period), you should start with the next pack, even if you have not yet finished your period. This means that you should start each pack on the same day of the week, and your period should take place during the same days every month.
If you use ethinylestradiol/drospirenone in this way, you are also protected against pregnancy during the 7 days when you are not taking any tablets.
When can you start with the first pack?
Start taking ethinylestradiol/drospirenone on the first day of your cycle (i.e., the first day of your period). If you start ethinylestradiol/drospirenone on the first day of your period, you are 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 ethinylestradiol/drospirenone preferably the day after taking the last active tablet (the last tablet that contains active ingredients) of your previous contraceptive, but no later than the day after the withdrawal week of your previous contraceptive (or after taking the last inactive tablet of your previous contraceptive). When switching from a vaginal ring or patch, follow your doctor's recommendations.
You can switch from the progestogen-only pill at any time (if it is an implant or intrauterine device, on the day of its removal; if it is an injectable, when the next injection is due), but in all cases, 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 ethinylestradiol/drospirenone between 21 and 28 days after having a child. If you start later than day 28, use a barrier method (e.g., a condom) during the first 7 days of taking ethinylestradiol/drospirenone. If, after having a child, you have had sexual intercourse before starting to take ethinylestradiol/drospirenone again, you should be sure that you are not pregnant or wait for your next menstrual period.
Read the section “Breastfeeding”.
Ask your doctor if you are not sure when to start.
If you take more ethinylestradiol/drospirenone cinfalab than you should
No cases have been reported where an overdose of ethinylestradiol/drospirenone has caused serious harm.
The symptoms that may appear if you take many tablets at the same time may include feeling unwell or vomiting or vaginal bleeding. This bleeding may occur even in girls who have not yet had their first menstrual period, if they have accidentally taken this medication.
If you have taken too many ethinylestradiol/drospirenone tablets, or discover that a child has taken them, consult your doctor or pharmacist.
In case of overdose or accidental ingestion, consult your doctor or pharmacist immediately or call the Toxicology Information Service, phone 91 562 04 20, indicating the medication and the amount ingested.
If you forget to take ethinylestradiol/drospirenone cinfalab
The risk of incomplete protection against pregnancy is highest if you miss a tablet at the beginning or end of the pack. Therefore, you should follow the following recommendations (see 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 tablets at the usual time and use additional precautions, for example, condoms, for the next 7 days. If you have had sexual intercourse in the week before missing the tablet, you may be pregnant. In this 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 tablets at the usual time. The protection against pregnancy is not reduced, and you do not need to take additional precautions.
You can choose between two options:
You will probably have your period at the end of the second pack, although you may experience light or period-like bleeding during the second 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. The situation is almost equivalent to missing a tablet. After vomiting or diarrhea, take a tablet from a reserve pack as soon as possible. If possible, take it within 12 hours after the usual time you take your contraceptive. If this is not possible or more than 12 hours have passed, follow the advice in the section “If you forget to take ethinylestradiol/drospirenone cinfalab”.
Delayed menstrual period: what should you know?
Although it is not recommended, you can delay your menstrual period if you start a new pack of ethinylestradiol/drospirenone instead of continuing with the withdrawal week and finish it. You may experience light or period-like bleeding during the use of the second pack. After the usual withdrawal week, start the next pack.
You should ask your doctor for advice before deciding to delay your menstrual period.
Changing the first day of your menstrual period: what should you know?
If you take the tablets according to the instructions, your menstrual period will start during the withdrawal week. If you need to change the day, reduce the number of withdrawal days (but never increase them – 7 at most!). For example, if your withdrawal days usually start on Fridays and you want to change to Tuesdays (3 days earlier), start a new pack 3 days earlier than usual. If you make the withdrawal week very short (e.g., 3 days or less), you may not have bleeding during these days. Then you may experience light or period-like bleeding.
If you are not sure how to proceed, consult your doctor.
If you stop treatment with ethinylestradiol/drospirenone cinfalab
You can stop taking ethinylestradiol/drospirenone at any time. If you do not want to become pregnant, consult your doctor about other effective methods of birth control. If you want to become pregnant, stop taking ethinylestradiol/drospirenone and wait until your menstrual 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 ethinylestradiol/drospirenone, consult your doctor.
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 section "Warnings and Precautions").
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 ethinylestradiol/drospirenone cinfalab".
The following list of adverse effects has been associated with the use of ethinylestradiol/drospirenone.
Frequent Adverse Effects (may affect up to 1 in 10 women):
Uncommon Adverse Effects (may affect up to 1 in 100 women):
Rare Adverse Effects (may affect up to 1 in 1,000 women):
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 leaflet. You can also report them directly through the Spanish Medicines Agency's website: 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 use this medicine after the expiration date stated on the packaging after CAD. The expiration 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 pharmacy's SIGRE collection point. If in doubt, ask your pharmacist how to dispose of the packaging and any unused medicines. This will help protect the environment.
Composition of Ethinylestradiol/Drospirenone Cinfalab
Tablet core:lactose monohydrate, pregelatinized corn starch, povidone, sodium croscarmellose, polysorbate 80, magnesium stearate.
Tablet coating: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 the Product and Package Contents
Film-coated tablets, round and pink in color.
They are presented in PVC/PVDC/ALU blisters.
Each package contains 21 or 21x3 film-coated tablets.
Marketing Authorization Holder and Manufacturer
Marketing Authorization Holder
Laboratorios Cinfa, S.A.
Carretera Olaz-Chipi, 10. Polígono Industrial Areta
31620 Huarte (Navarra) - Spain
Manufacturer
Laboratorios León Farma, S.A.
Pol. Ind. Navatejera; La Vallina s/n;
24008-Villaquilambre, León Spain
Date of the Last Revision of this Leaflet:July 2024
Detailed and updated information on this medicine is available on the website of the Spanish Agency for Medicines and Health Products (AEMPS) (http://www.aemps.gob.es/)
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