Necon 1/50

Generic Norinyl 1/50

Used for Birth Control

Necon 1/50 is a type of birth control called a combined oral contraceptive (COC) that contains both estrogen and progesterone hormones. Necon 1/50 is taken by mouth every day to prevent pregnancy. This medication has been discontinued in the United States.

Reviewed by:

Yen Nguyen, PharmD

Kristianne Hannemann, PharmD

Last reviewed on July 25, 2022

What is Necon 1/50?

What is Necon 1/50 used for?

To prevent pregnancy

Are you looking for information on Necon 7/7/7 (norethindrone / ethinyl estradiol) triphasic instead?

Drug facts

Common Brands	Necon 1/50, Norinyl 1/50(brands no longer available)
Drug Class	Estrogen / Progestin combined contraceptive
Controlled Substance Classification	Not a controlled medication
Generic Status	No lower-cost generic available
Availability	Discontinued

Common Brands

Necon 1/50, Norinyl 1/50(brands no longer available)

Drug Class

Estrogen / Progestin combined contraceptive

Controlled Substance Classification

Not a controlled medication

Generic Status

No lower-cost generic available

Availability

Discontinued

Common questions about Necon 1/50

Necon 1/50 is a combination birth control that contains two hormones, norethindrone (a progestin) and mestranol (an estrogen), that work together to prevent pregnancy. Necon 1/50 works by 1) preventing your ovaries from releasing eggs, 2) changing the mucus in your cervix to make it harder for the sperm to enter the uterus (womb), and 3) changing the lining of the uterus so it's more difficult for a fertilized egg to implant.

No, Necon 1/50 has been discontinued and is no longer available in the United States.

It's not clear why Necon 1/50 was discontinued, but it could be related to the risks of this medication containing a high dose of estrogen (50 mcg mestranol). Higher amounts of estrogen might raise the risk of blood clots, leading to heart attacks and strokes. The FDA has recommended against using 50 mcg estrogen in birth control, and for providers to prescribe a smaller dose of estrogen whenever possible. Today, most birth control pills in the United States contain less than 50 mcg of ethinyl estradiol.