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Key takeaways
Lo Loestrin Fe is a brand-name combination birth control pill used to prevent pregnancy. While it is effective, it can cause mild and sometimes serious side effects. It can also be costly.
There are several Lo Loestrin Fe alternatives available, including other combination birth control pills, progestin-only pills, intrauterine devices, birth control implants, and birth control patches.
If you want to switch to an alternative, talk to your healthcare provider. They can discuss which alternatives are safe for you.
Lo Loestrin Fe (norethindrone acetate and ethinyl estradiol) is a combination birth control pill approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to prevent pregnancy in women younger than 35 years of age who do not smoke. It’s a type of birth control pill where an iron supplement is taken for two days during the menstrual cycle. While Lo Loestrin Fe is an effective birth control option, it can cause mild and sometimes serious side effects, such as blood clots, and isn’t recommended for certain people, such as people with breast cancer. Fortunately, there are several Lo Loestrin Fe alternatives.
What can I take instead of Lo Loestrin Fe?
There are many options available when it comes to choosing an oral contraceptive pill. The medication chosen will depend on the side effect profile of the medication, the unique patient characteristics, and the specific treatment goals. Insurance covers many but not all contraceptives. If cost is a concern, you can save money on your birth control prescription by using your SingleCare prescription discount card. Alternative medications include other forms of contraceptives, such as NuvaRing (etonogestrel-ethinyl estradiol) and depot medroxyprogesterone acetate injection (the birth control shot), other combination birth control pills, intrauterine devices, and progestin-only pills, which are also known as the mini pill.
Related: Save on birth control with SingleCare
Compare Lo Loestrin Fe alternatives |
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|---|---|---|---|
| Drug name | Price without insurance | SingleCare price | Savings options |
| Lo Loestrin Fe (norethindrone acetate/ethinyl estradiol) | $267 for 1 package of 28 tablets | $130 for 1 package of 28 tablets of brand-name Lo Loestrin Fe | See latest prices |
| Yaz (drospirenone/ethinyl estradiol) | $227 for 1 package of 28 tablets | $6 for 1 package of 28 tablets of generic Yaz | See latest prices |
| Levora 0.15/30 | $35 for 1 package of 28 tablets | $4 for 1 package of 28 tablets ofr generic Levora | See latest prices |
| Apri (desogestrel/ethinyl estradiol) | $99 for 1 package of 28 tablets | $9 for 1 package of 28 tablets of brand-name Apri | See latest prices |
| Yasmin 28 (drospirenone/ethinyl estradiol) | $173 for 1 package of 28 tablets | $8 for 1 package of 28 tablets | See latest prices |
| Slynd (drospirenone) | $288 for 1 package of 28 tablets | $192 for 1 package of 28 tablets of brand-name Slynd | See latest prices |
| Camila (norethindrone) | $41 for 1 package of 28 tablets | $7 for 1 package of 28 tablets of generic Camila | See latest prices |
| NuvaRing (ethinyl estradiol/etonogestrel) | $238 for 1 box of 1 vaginal ring | $39 for 1 box of 1 vaginal ring | See latest prices |
| Mirena (levonorgestrel intrauterine device) | $1,579 for 1 IUD | $1,179 for 1 IUD of brand-name Mirena | See latest prices |
| Kyleena (levonorgestrel IUD) | $1,621 for 1 IUD | $1,179 for 1 IUD of brand-name Kyleena | See latest prices |
| Depo-Provera (medroxyprogesterone acetate) | $86 for 1, 0.65mL of 104mg/0.65mL syringe | $53 for 1, 0.65mL of 104mg/0.65mL syringe of brand-name Depo-Provera | See latest prices |
| Nexplanon (etonogestrel implant) | $1,526 for 1 implant | $1,190 for 1 implant of brand-name Nexplanon | See latest prices |
| Paragard (copper IUD) | $1,290 for 1 IUD | $1,116 for 1 IUD of brand-name Paragard | See latest prices |
| Xulane (norelgestromin/ethinyl estradiol patch) | $273 for 1 box of 3 patches | $76 for 1 box of 3 patches of generic Xulane | See latest prices |
Prescription drug prices often change. These are the most accurate medication prices at the time of publishing. The listed price without insurance references the price of brand-name drugs (unless otherwise specified). The listed SingleCare price references the price of generic drugs if available. Click the link under “Savings options” to see the latest drug prices.
RELATED: List of contraceptives
Save up to 80% on Lo Loestrin Fe with SingleCare
Different pharmacies offer different prices for the same medication. SingleCare helps find the best price for you.
Top 5 Lo Loestrin Fe alternatives
The following are some of the most common alternatives to Lo Loestrin Fe.
1. Yaz
Yaz is the brand name for an oral contraceptive containing 3 mg drospirenone and 20 mcg of ethinyl estradiol. Yaz is like Lo Loestrin in that it is still considered a low-dose birth control pill; however, Yaz contains a different progestin.
Yaz has additional indications for use and may be a preferable oral contraceptive for women who may need relief from a more serious form of premenstrual syndrome (PMS) known as premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PDD). Women with PDD usually experience more typical symptoms of PMS, such as cramping and bloating, accompanied by irritability, anxiety, and depression that may interfere with social activities.
RELATED: Yaz vs. Yasmin
2. Yasmin
Yasmin is a birth control pill that contains 3 mg of drospirenone with 30 mcg of ethinyl estradiol. With a higher dosage of estrogen, Yasmin can be used off-label in the management of other estrogen-sensitive conditions such as endometriosis, dysfunctional uterine bleeding, dysmenorrhea, and PCOS.
3. Apri
Apri is an oral contraceptive containing 0.15 mg of desogestrel and 30 mcg of ethinyl estradiol.
Apri and Lo Loestrin have differences in the number of days that active medication is taken. With Apri, active pills are only taken for 21 days, compared to 24 days with Lo Loestrin. Apri can also be used off-label for the management of severe acne and heavy menstrual bleeding.
RELATED: The best birth control for acne
4. Minastrin 24 Fe
Like Lo Loestrin, Minastrin 24 Fe is an iron-containing oral contraceptive. The goals of prescribing these preparations are aimed at reducing the risk of iron deficiency and anemia in women. Another unique aspect of Minastrin 24 is that it is one of the only preparations that is available as a chewable tablet.
RELATED: The best foods for anemia
5. Levora
Levora contains 0.15 mg of levonorgestrel and 30 mcg of ethinyl estradiol. It contains 21 days of active pills and 7 days of inactive pills.
Natural alternatives to Lo Loestrin Fe
Hormonal birth control is considered a safe and effective way to prevent pregnancy. Which type of birth control is safest or healthiest to use will depend on each person’s unique health characteristics.
There is no clinical data to support the use of vitamins or herbal remedies to prevent pregnancy. Medications and supplements with abortive potential or that are known to be teratogenic should not be taken to prevent pregnancy, as these could cause significant harm to a woman and the developing fetus.
The following are natural and non-hormonal contraceptive methods:
Withdrawal method
In the coitus interruptus or the “pull-out” method to prevent pregnancy, the penis must be withdrawn from the vagina before ejaculation. This should not be considered a reliable contraception. In the limited data available from 2013, 21% of women aged 15 to 24 using this method experienced an unwanted pregnancy.
Breastfeeding
Lactational amenorrhea is a period where a breastfeeding woman does not have a period and therefore has a decreased risk of becoming pregnant. Breastfeeding alone is not considered a reliable contraception.
Non-hormonal birth control
Copper IUDs and male or female condoms are non-hormonal birth control options that are more effective at preventing pregnancy than the withdrawal method or breastfeeding. Additionally, condoms are the only form of birth control that also prevents the spread of sexually transmitted diseases.
Non-estrogen hormonal options include an implant that goes under the skin, IUDs that release hormones, the birth control shot, and progestin-only pills. All of these methods contain progestin only—not estrogen.
RELATED: Birth control options
How to switch to a Lo Loestrin Fe alternative
When switching from Lo Loestrin Fe to another birth control pill, it is important to ask your healthcare provider, such as your doctor, for medical advice. They can discuss which options are safe for you. Generally, the best way is to just start taking the new pill, with no gaps in between. You do not need to finish one pack of pills before starting a new one. If you have never taken birth control pills before, you should start with the first pill in the pack. If you are switching to an alternative method of contraception, such as another oral birth control pill, IUD, vaginal ring, implant, patch, shot, or condoms, you may need to overlap methods for several days. You may have changes to your period after switching medications. This is normal. To prevent STDs and HIV infections, it is best to always use condoms.
- Apri, Physician’s Desk Reference
- Apri full prescribing information, DailyMed (2021)
- Levora full prescribing information, DailyMed (2025)
- Lo Loestrin FE full prescribing information, DailyMed (2025)
- Minastrin, Physician’s Desk Reference
- Use of withdrawal and unintended pregnancy among females 15-24 years of age, Obstetrics & Gynecology (2013)
- Yasmin, Physician’s Desk Reference
- Yaz full prescribing information, DailyMed (2025)