Two medicines, side by side
Levonorgestrel vs norethindrone
Levonorgestrel and norethindrone are both labeled for birth control. Drugs@FDA records approvals of levonorgestrel since 1990 and of norethindrone since 1973. Pharmacies paid $6.33 per levonorgestrel 1.5 mg tablet and $0.290 per norethindrone 5 mg tablet (NADAC, October 7, 2026); the strengths differ, so the two prices are not like for like. In FDA's classes, levonorgestrel is a progestin-containing intrauterine device and norethindrone a progestin.
Check it at the source: the levonorgestrel FDA label on DailyMed (effective January 31, 2023); the norethindrone FDA label on DailyMed (effective January 31, 2026).
Highlights of the levonorgestrel record
Levonorgestrel (Plan) · label of January 31, 2023
Used for
From the label: indicationsfor women to reduce chance of pregnancy after unprotected sex (if a contraceptive failed or if you did not use birth control)
On the market
- Earliest approval on file
- December 10, 1990
- Generic labelers
- 31 labelers
- Pharmacy cost
- $6.33 per tablet
Supply and safety
- Shortage
- No current entry
- Recalls
- 3
Highlights of the norethindrone record
Norethindrone (Nor-Qd) · label of January 31, 2026
Used for
From the label: indicationsIndications Progestin-only oral contraceptives are indicated for the prevention of pregnancy. 2. Efficacy If used perfectly, the first-year failure rate for progestin-only oral contraceptives is 0.3%. However, the typical failure rate is estimated to be closer to 9%, due to late or omitted pills. Table 1 lists the pregnancy rates for users of all major methods of contraception. […]
On the market
- Earliest approval on file
- January 2, 1973
- Generic labelers
- 18 labelers
- Pharmacy cost
- $0.290 per tablet
Supply and safety
- Shortage
- No current entry
- Recalls
- 0
Source: FDA drug labels via openFDA (Levonorgestrel label of January 31, 2023, Norethindrone label of January 31, 2026); NDC Directory, Drugs@FDA, NADAC, FDA shortages and recalls (October 8, 2026)
How do levonorgestrel and norethindrone differ on the record?
In FDA's classes, levonorgestrel is a progestin-containing intrauterine device and norethindrone a progestin.
Generics: levonorgestrel since 2009; norethindrone since 2001 (Drugs@FDA).
| Levonorgestrel | Norethindrone | |
|---|---|---|
| Labeled for | Birth control | Birth control |
| Pharmacologic class | Progestin, Progestin-containing Intrauterine Device, Progestin-containing Intrauterine System | Progestin |
| How it works (label) | n/a | Mode of Action Norethindrone progestin-only oral contraceptives prevent conception by suppressing ovulation in approximately half of users, thickening the cervical mucus to inhibit sperm penetration, lowering the midcycle LH and FSH peaks … |
| Half-life (label) | n/a | n/a |
| Earliest approval on file (Drugs@FDA) | December 10, 1990 | January 2, 1973 |
| First generic approved | June 24, 2009 | May 25, 2001 |
| Generic labelers (NDC) | 31 labelers | 18 labelers |
| Pharmacy cost (NADAC, each one's most listed form; strengths differ) | $6.33 per tablet (Levonorgestrel 1.5 mg tablet) | $0.290 per tablet (Norethindrone 5 mg tablet) |
| 12-month price change | no change | -4% |
| Boxed warning | No | No |
| Shortage now | No current entry | No current entry |
| Recalls recorded | 3 | 0 |
| FAERS reports (a report is not proof of cause; counts follow how widely a medicine is used) | 200,218 | 5,466 |
| DEA schedule | none | none |
Source: Drugs@FDA, FDA NDC Directory, CMS NADAC of October 7, 2026, FDA shortages and recalls, FAERS via openFDA (FDA files October 8, 2026)
What next?
- Alternatives to levonorgestrel
- every medicine labeled for the same conditions