Health Dictionary
Reliable, easy-to-read patient information on common medical conditions — written in plain language, free of jargon, and grounded in current evidence. Browse the most frequent diagnoses, understand what they mean for everyday life, and learn which steps and questions help you have a focused conversation with your doctor.
Norgestrel
Introduction
Overview
Overview
Norgestrel is a progestin used in hormonal contraceptives. Norgestrel is a mixture of two stereoisomers, dextro-norgestrel (CAS# 797-64-8) and levo-norgestrel (CAS# 797-63-7). Only levonorgestrel is biologically active. Therefore, while some medications may contain dextronorgestrel, they are often labeled in terms of their levonorgestrel content only, ignoring the inert isomer.
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]