What is EVRA*?

EVRA* is the birth control patch. It is a thin, beige, flexible, square patch you wear on your body. Like birth control pills, EVRA* is highly effective in preventing pregnancy when used correctly. You wear each EVRA* birth control patch for 1 week at a time. Each week the EVRA* patch continuously delivers hormones through the skin and into the bloodstream for a full 7 days to prevent pregnancy.

• Apply EVRA* once a week on the same day each week (your Patch Change Day) for 3 weeks in a row.
• During week 4, remove the patch on your Patch Change Day and do not wear a patch that week. (Your period is expected to begin at this time.)
• Following week 4, start a new cycle by applying a new patch on the Patch Change Day and repeat the same application routine each month.

How does EVRA* work?

EVRA* contains 2 types of hormones: estrogen (ethinyl estradiol) and progestin (norelgestromin). Once you apply the patch to your body, these hormones are continuously transferred through your skin and into your bloodstream, where they prevent pregnancy in 2 ways:

• As you go through your normal cycle every 28 days or so, your pituitary gland releases certain hormones. These hormones signal your ovaries to develop an egg that gets picked up by one of your fallopian tubes, where it could become fertilized. However, the hormones in EVRA* prevent this process. As a result, no egg is released.
• The hormones also thicken the mucus secretions from your cervix, making it difficult for sperm to enter your uterus.

Are there side effects with EVRA*?

The most common side effects include breast changes (tenderness, enlargement, secretion), headache, nausea/vomiting and dysmenorrhea.

The contraceptive patch contains hormones similar to those in birth control pills. Hormonal contraceptives are not for everybody. Most side effects of the contraceptive patch are not serious and those that are, occur infrequently. Serious risks, which can be life threatening, include blood clots, stroke or heart attacks and are increased if you smoke cigarettes. Cigarette smoking increases the risk of serious adverse effects on the heart and blood vessels. This risk increases with age and becomes significant in hormonal contraceptive users over 35 years of age. Women who use hormonal contraceptives should not smoke.

Some women should not use the contraceptive patch, including women who have blood clots, certain cancers, a history of heart attack or stroke, as well as those who are or may be pregnant. The contraceptive patch does not protect against HIV/AIDS or other sexually transmitted infections. It is advisable to use latex condoms in combination with hormonal contraceptives. For more complete information regarding warnings, precautions, and side effects, please see the Prescribing Information inside the package that your EVRA* patches come in.

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