CDSCO Approved (India)
Prescription Medicine

Pill

No non-hormonal birth control pill is FDA-approved in the US. Ormeloxifene (centchroman) is approved and used in India.

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Method at a Glance

EffectivenessLimited evidence
DurationWeekly pill (ongoing)
CostContact provider
ReversibilityReversible
STI ProtectionNo
How you get itNot Available in the US · Prescription required
The details

What the evidence says

How well it works, what to watch for, who should avoid it, and the studies behind it.

How well it works

Limited evidence

Limited evidence: no verifiable efficacy data available.

Phase III trials in India reported method-failure Pearl Index values of roughly 3.7 to 4.2 per 100 woman-years and effectiveness ranging from 93% to 100% across published studies (95.8-95.9% in the two Phase III trials). Because these are not perfect-use estimates from a single head-to-head controlled trial, perfectUse is recorded as null and the range is described in the details. Source is a scoping review, not a single pivotal trial.

Research sourceKabra R et al. 2019, BMJ Open scoping review of centchroman/ormeloxifene evidence (PMID 31594884)

Cost & insurance

Contact provider

Not available in the US. In India, generic ormeloxifene (centchroman) costs about Rs. 3 per tablet (roughly $0.04; Rs. 23-25 per strip of 8 at online pharmacies). It is distributed free at some government health facilities.

Insurance CoverageVaries

Duration & reversibility

Lasts forWeekly pill (ongoing)
Reversibility
Reversible
STI ProtectionNo

The science

Clinical classCentchroman (ormeloxifene)
How it works in the body

Ormeloxifene (centchroman) is a selective estrogen receptor modulator (SERM) that prevents pregnancy by inhibiting implantation of a fertilized egg in the endometrium. It does not suppress ovulation and does not contain estrogen or progestin. It is not FDA-approved in the US.

Regulatory status & access

StatusCDSCO Approved (India)
Used forBirth control
How you get itNot Available in the US · Prescription required
PrescriptionRequired

Side effects

  • Menstrual irregularities (delayed or altered periods; rates varied widely across studies, up to about 12%)
  • Headache
  • Nausea
  • Abdominal discomfort
  • Breast tenderness

Who shouldn't use this

  • •Polycystic ovarian disease (PCOS)(Polycystic ovary syndrome, a hormone disorder that may affect treatment safety)
  • •Recent history of jaundice or hepatic impairment(Severe liver damage or reduced liver function)
  • •Renal impairment(Reduced kidney function or kidney disease)
  • •Cervical hyperplasia or chronic cervicitis(Abnormal cervical cell growth or long-term cervical inflammation)
  • •Pregnancy(The treatment is not intended for use during pregnancy and may harm a fetus)
  • •Hypersensitivity to ormeloxifene(An allergy or sensitivity to the medicine, device, or one of its ingredients)
The full picture

What to know about Pill

Why there is no non-hormonal birth control pill in the US

Every FDA-approved birth control pill in the United States contains hormones. Combined pills have estrogen and progestin. Progestin-only pills contain a synthetic progestin and are available by prescription and over the counter. As of 2026, no FDA-approved non-hormonal oral contraceptive is available in the United States.

Ormeloxifene (centchroman): a non-hormonal contraceptive pill

Ormeloxifene, also called centchroman, is a non-steroidal selective estrogen receptor modulator. India’s Central Drug Research Institute (CSIR-CDRI) developed ormeloxifene, and Indian regulators approved it in 1991. It prevents pregnancy by inhibiting implantation of a fertilized egg in the uterine lining. It does not suppress ovulation, does not contain estrogen or progestin, and does not interfere with the hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian axis.

The dosing schedule is 30 mg twice weekly for the first 12 weeks, then once weekly after that. Phase III trials in India reported method-failure Pearl Index values of roughly 3.7 to 4.2 per 100 woman-years, with effectiveness ranging from 93% to 100% across published studies (95.8-95.9% in the two Phase III trials). Actual-use failure rates including user error were higher — 9.4% and 10.2% of women in the two Phase III trials; these are not single head-to-head controlled rates, so they are described here rather than used as a typicalUse value.

A common side effect is menstrual irregularity; reported rates varied widely between clinical studies, up to about 12% of users. Other reported side effects include headache, nausea, abdominal discomfort, and breast tenderness. Contraindications include polycystic ovarian disease, liver or kidney impairment, cervical hyperplasia, and pregnancy.

Closest US alternatives

If you want non-hormonal birth control in the US, the available methods are not pills. They include the copper IUD, vaginal pH modulator gel, barrier methods (condoms, diaphragm, cervical cap, sponge, spermicide), fertility awareness apps, and permanent procedures (sterilization, vasectomy). Check our provider directory for clinics near you that can discuss non-hormonal alternatives.