# Norethisterone in Nigeria

Norethisterone has 1 active NAFDAC registration in our October 2026 copy of the register, from 1 registration holder; 1 further listing has lapsed.

- Source: https://ogbogwu.com/drugs/norethisterone/
- Drug class: Synthetic progestogen (19-nortestosterone derivative) (Reproductive Health)
- Also known as: Norethindrone, Primolut N, Noristerat, Norethisterone enantate, Period delay tablet
- Prescription required: yes
- On the WHO Model List of Essential Medicines
- Last updated: October 2026

## Price in Nigeria

Our sampled online pharmacies held no norethisterone listing this cycle, so we quote no price. Primolut N is an imported Bayer product and priced as one; a pack of 30 tablets covers a two-week period-delay course or a ten-day course for heavy bleeding. Noristerat injections are given in family-planning clinics, often free or at a token fee through the public programme. Ask a licensed pharmacy for the current price and check the NAFDAC number before paying.

## What is Norethisterone?

Norethisterone is a synthetic progestogen — a man-made version of progesterone, the hormone of the second half of the menstrual cycle. Taken as a tablet it holds the lining of the womb in place, which is why it can postpone a period, stop a heavy bleed and bring order to irregular cycles; given as a long-acting injection (norethisterone enantate) it suppresses ovulation and thickens cervical mucus, which is why it works as a two-monthly contraceptive.

Nigeria knows it under two Bayer names. Primolut N, the 5 mg tablet, is registered under 04-5063, recorded Inactive in our October 2026 copy of the NAFDAC register — its registration lapsed in 2026, a renewal matter for Bayer rather than proof a pack is fake; it is still what a pharmacist reaches for when a woman asks for 'the tablet to delay my period'. Noristerat, the 200 mg/mL injection, is registered under 04-5715, also Active, and is given every eight weeks in family-planning clinics as an alternative to the three-monthly Depo-Provera. Norethisterone enantate injection is on the WHO Model List of Essential Medicines as a hormonal contraceptive.

One confusion causes real harm: Primolut N tablets are not a contraceptive. Taking them to delay a period does not prevent pregnancy, and taking them when already pregnant exposes the baby to a hormone it should not meet. Any woman who could be pregnant should rule that out before starting them, and anyone who wants contraception needs Noristerat, the pill, an implant or an IUD — not the tablets.

## What is Norethisterone used for?

- Postponing menstruation for a specific occasion
- Heavy menstrual bleeding (menorrhagia) and dysfunctional uterine bleeding — stopping an acute bleed, then regulating cycles
- Secondary amenorrhoea (periods that have stopped) and irregular cycles, as a withdrawal-bleed test and treatment
- Endometriosis pain and premenstrual syndrome, under specialist care
- Contraception (Noristerat injection) — one injection every eight weeks

## Dosage

Always follow a doctor's or pharmacist's instructions; this is general reference information.

- Adults: To delay a period: one 5 mg tablet three times a day, starting three days before the period is expected, continued for as long as the delay is needed (usually up to 10 to 14 days); bleeding normally starts two to three days after the last tablet. For heavy or prolonged bleeding: 5 mg three times a day for 10 days, which usually stops the bleed within 48 hours and is followed by a withdrawal bleed; a doctor may then prescribe 5 mg twice daily from day 19 to day 26 of the next three cycles. For absent periods: 5 mg two to three times daily for 10 days. Noristerat: 200 mg by deep intramuscular injection every eight weeks, the first within the first five days of a period.
- Children: Not for use before periods have started. Heavy or irregular bleeding in a teenager needs a gynaecology opinion first; the same tablet doses are then used as in adults.
- Elderly: Not applicable after the menopause except under a specialist for specific conditions.

Rule out pregnancy before starting the tablets — a period that is late is a reason for a pregnancy test, not for Primolut N. The tablets are not contraception and do not protect against pregnancy during the days they are taken. Do not use the delay course more than occasionally: repeatedly manipulating the cycle masks problems and is not how heavy bleeding should be managed long term. Take the tablets at evenly spaced times; a missed dose can bring on breakthrough bleeding.

## Side effects

Common: Bloating, fluid retention and breast tenderness; Headache, nausea, mood changes or irritability; Spotting or breakthrough bleeding, especially if doses are missed; Acne, greasy skin; tiredness; reduced libido; With Noristerat: irregular bleeding in the first months, then lighter or absent periods; weight gain; a delay of several months in return of fertility after stopping.

Serious (seek medical help immediately): A blood clot — pain and swelling in one calf, sudden breathlessness or chest pain, a severe sudden headache or visual loss — stop and seek help immediately; Yellowing of the skin or eyes (jaundice), severe upper abdominal pain, generalised itching: possible liver effect; Migraine with aura appearing for the first time, or a sudden rise in blood pressure; Allergic reaction: rash, hives, swelling of the face or lips.

When to see a doctor: Seek help the same day for calf pain, chest pain, breathlessness, a sudden severe headache, loss of vision or jaundice. See a doctor if heavy bleeding has not slowed within 48 hours of starting the tablets, if bleeding recurs as soon as the course ends, or if you have needed the tablets more than two or three times in a year — heavy bleeding has causes (fibroids, polyps, thyroid and clotting problems) that a progestogen does not treat.

## Warnings

Do not take if: Pregnancy, or a pregnancy that has not been ruled out; undiagnosed vaginal bleeding; A current or previous blood clot (deep vein thrombosis, pulmonary embolism), stroke or heart attack; Severe liver disease, liver tumours, or jaundice in a previous pregnancy; Current or past breast cancer or other hormone-sensitive cancer; Inherited porphyria; known allergy to norethisterone; For Noristerat as contraception: the same, plus it is not usually started within the first six weeks after childbirth if breastfeeding.

Interactions: Enzyme-inducing medicines — rifampicin and rifabutin, carbamazepine, phenytoin, phenobarbital, efavirenz and nevirapine, St John's wort — speed up its breakdown and can cause breakthrough bleeding or, with Noristerat, contraceptive failure; Ciclosporin — norethisterone can raise its levels; Some HIV protease inhibitors and hepatitis C antivirals alter progestogen levels; check with the prescriber; Antidiabetic medicines — progestogens can slightly raise blood sugar.

Pregnancy & breastfeeding: Do not take norethisterone tablets in pregnancy: it is converted partly to oestrogen-like and androgen-like compounds and has been linked to masculinisation of a female baby at high doses. A missed period is a reason for a pregnancy test before any period-delay course. While breastfeeding, the tablets are generally avoided at the doses used for bleeding; the Noristerat injection can be started from six weeks after birth in a breastfeeding mother, as the family-planning programme does.

## Brands in Nigeria

Well-known NAFDAC-registered brands: Primolut N (Bayer Nigeria Limited, made in Germany); Noristerat (Bayer Nigeria Limited, made in Germany).
Full searchable brand list: https://ogbogwu.com/drugs/norethisterone/brands/

## How to verify it is genuine

1. Check the pack for its NAFDAC registration number. In our copy of the register Primolut N 5 mg tablets carry 04-5063 and Noristerat 200 mg/mL injection carries 04-5715, both held by Bayer Nigeria Limited; Noristerat is recorded Active and Primolut N Inactive since 2026 — confirm it on the official Greenbook
2. Primolut N's registration falls due for renewal in late September 2026 in our copy, so a lapse may appear between register refreshes — confirm the current status on the official Greenbook if the checker shows anything other than Active
3. Enter the number in our free NAFDAC checker and confirm the product name, strength and holder match the pack
4. Primolut N is an imported, well-known brand, which makes it a counterfeit target: buy from a registered pharmacy, check that the blister foil carries the Bayer name and a batch number matching the box, and be suspicious of loose strips

Verify any NAFDAC number free (no login): https://ogbogwu.com/nafdac-checker/

## FAQs

### Is Primolut N NAFDAC approved in Nigeria?

Yes. Our copy of the NAFDAC register lists Primolut N 5 mg tablets under 04-5063, held by Bayer Nigeria Limited, with status Inactive since 2026 (a lapse, not a withdrawal — confirm on the official Greenbook), and the Noristerat 200 mg/mL injection under 04-5715, Active. Check the number printed on your own pack against its record in our NAFDAC checker.

### How do I use norethisterone to delay my period?

Take one 5 mg tablet three times a day, starting three days before the period is due, and continue for as long as you need the delay — usually no more than two weeks. Your period normally arrives two to three days after the last tablet. It will not work if you start it once bleeding has begun, and it is not a contraceptive, so make sure you are not pregnant before you start. Get it on prescription: a pharmacist or doctor should check you have no clotting or liver history first.

### Is Primolut N a contraceptive?

No. Primolut N tablets do not prevent pregnancy, and the days you take them to delay a period are not protected. Taking them while already pregnant can harm the baby. If you want contraception, the related injection Noristerat is one option — one injection every eight weeks from a family-planning clinic — along with the pill, implants and IUDs.

### Can norethisterone stop heavy bleeding?

Usually, yes, within about 48 hours of starting 5 mg three times a day for ten days; a withdrawal bleed follows when the course ends, and a doctor may continue a lower dose in the second half of the next few cycles to keep periods regular. It treats the symptom, not the cause: heavy bleeding that keeps returning needs investigation for fibroids, polyps, thyroid or clotting problems and, in older women, for changes in the womb lining.

### What is the difference between Noristerat and Depo-Provera?

Both are progestogen-only contraceptive injections given in Nigerian family-planning clinics. Noristerat (norethisterone enantate) lasts eight weeks; Depo-Provera (medroxyprogesterone acetate) lasts twelve to thirteen weeks. Both can cause irregular bleeding at first and then lighter or absent periods, and both can delay the return of fertility by some months after stopping. Noristerat is often preferred for shorter-term use and for the first weeks after childbirth.

## Sources

- NAFDAC Greenbook (official register of approved products in Nigeria)
- WHO Model List of Essential Medicines
- British National Formulary (BNF)
- Nigerian Standard Treatment Guidelines (Federal Ministry of Health)