Why there is no non-hormonal birth control pill in the US
The birth control pills in the FDA’s birth control guide all contain hormones. Combined pills have estrogen and a progestin. Progestin-only pills have a progestin; you may need a prescription, but one version, norgestrel, is sold over the counter. The FDA guide lists no non-hormonal birth control pill.
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 (CDRI) developed ormeloxifene, and India’s drug regulator, CDSCO, lists centchroman 30 mg tablets as approved for use as an oral contraceptive in November 1990. It is mainly thought to work on the cervical mucus and uterine lining, affecting sperm transport and implantation of a fertilized egg. It does not appear to stop ovulation, and it does not contain estrogen or progestin.
The recommended dosing schedule is 30 mg twice weekly for the first 12 weeks, then once weekly after that. In two Phase III trials in India, the Pearl Index was 4.2 and 3.7 and effectiveness was 95.9% and 95.8%; across eight published studies, effectiveness ranged from 93% to 100%. Pregnancies from user failure, when the pill was not taken on schedule, were 9.4% and 10.2% in those two trials. These small studies do not give a typical-use rate, so this page lists none. A 2026 systematic review found that all 14 studies of ormeloxifene for contraception were conducted in India and had a high risk of bias.
The most commonly reported side effects are menstrual changes, such as prolonged cycles and continuous bleeding, and reported rates varied widely between studies. Other reported side effects include headache, nausea, abdominal pain, and breast tenderness. This page does not list contraindications, because we could not find a current official prescribing label for ormeloxifene to cite.
Closest US alternatives
If you want non-hormonal birth control in the US, the available methods are not pills. They include the copper IUD, a prescription vaginal pH modulator gel, barrier methods (condoms, diaphragm, cervical cap, spermicide), fertility awareness apps, and sterilization for women and men. Check our provider directory for clinics near you that can discuss non-hormonal alternatives.
