Birth Control & Contraceptive Drugs to Know
Contraceptives appear in large numbers on top-drug lists because so many combination products share the same two hormone components under different brand names. Studying the generic hormone pairs is what makes this group manageable.
Study tip
Focus on the recurring estrogen/progestin components (such as ethinyl estradiol paired with various progestins) rather than memorizing every brand. Recognizing the shared generic ingredients collapses a long brand list into a few patterns.
Birth control drug list (13)
By generic name, ordered by how commonly each is dispensed.
| # | Generic name | Commonly used for |
|---|---|---|
| 175 | Etonogestrel-Ethinyl Estradiol | Birth Control |
| 176 | Drospirenone-Ethinyl Estradiol | Birth Control |
| 177 | Norgestimate / Ethinyl Estradiol | Birth Control |
| 178 | Norethindrone / Ethinyl Estradiol | Birth Control |
| 179 | Levonorgestrel / Ethinyl Estradiol | Birth Control |
| 180 | Desogestrel / Ethinyl Estradiol | Birth Control |
| 181 | Drospirenone / Ethinyl Estradiol | Birth Control |
| 480 | Drospirenone | Birth Control |
| 481 | Norgestrel | Birth Control |
| 482 | Norethindrone | Birth Control |
| 484 | Etonogestrel / Ethinyl Estradiol | Birth Control |
| 487 | Ethynodiol / Ethinyl Estradiol | Birth Control |
| 491 | Norelgestromin / Ethinyl Estradiol | Birth Control |
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Frequently asked questions
- Why are there so many birth control drugs on the list?
- Many combination contraceptives reuse the same generic hormones in slightly different doses or formulations. Studying the underlying generic components, instead of each brand, is the efficient way to learn them.
- Are contraceptives commonly tested on pharmacy exams?
- Yes — because they are dispensed in very high volume, the common contraceptive generics regularly appear on top-drug study lists for pharmacy technician and pharmacist exams.
More drug categories
Educational study aid — not medical advice. Learn My Drugs is a memorization tool for pharmacy students, technicians, and exam prep. Drug names and uses on this page are simplified for studying and are not a substitute for professional judgment. For clinical, dosing, or safety information, consult the official label and a licensed professional.
Authoritative references: DailyMed, MedlinePlus, and the U.S. FDA.
Last reviewed: May 30, 2026.