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Independent analysis of NHS open data
PharmaInsight

Combined ethinylestradiol 30mcg vs Levonorgestrel

National NHS prescribing compared (Prescription Cost Analysis)
Data updated May 2026

Combined ethinylestradiol 30mcg was dispensed 4.9× as often as Levonorgestrel in May 2026 — 158,188 items versus 32,361 in England.

158,188items

Combined ethinylestradiol 30mcg · May 2026

NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis

32,361items

Levonorgestrel · May 2026

NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis

Figure 1. Combined ethinylestradiol 30mcg versus Levonorgestrel: national items dispensed by month

▬ Combined ethinylestradiol 30mcg   ·   ╌ Levonorgestrel

0 118k 236k Jan 2021 Nov 2021 Sep 2022 Jul 2023 May 2024 Mar 2025 May 2026 Levonorgestrel 158,188 Jan 2021: 236k Feb 2021: 207k Mar 2021: 220k Apr 2021: 211k May 2021: 204k Jun 2021: 218k Jul 2021: 221k Aug 2021: 208k Sep 2021: 219k Oct 2021: 201k Nov 2021: 209k Dec 2021: 212k Jan 2022: 213k Feb 2022: 188k Mar 2022: 213k Apr 2022: 197k May 2022: 213k Jun 2022: 206k Jul 2022: 205k Aug 2022: 204k Sep 2022: 201k Oct 2022: 195k Nov 2022: 194k Dec 2022: 179k Jan 2023: 203k Feb 2023: 179k Mar 2023: 199k Apr 2023: 178k May 2023: 192k Jun 2023: 197k Jul 2023: 190k Aug 2023: 185k Sep 2023: 183k Oct 2023: 176k Nov 2023: 179k Dec 2023: 174k Jan 2024: 188k Feb 2024: 171k Mar 2024: 170k Apr 2024: 177k May 2024: 179k Jun 2024: 170k Jul 2024: 181k Aug 2024: 168k Sep 2024: 165k Oct 2024: 167k Nov 2024: 157k Dec 2024: 154k Jan 2025: 168k Feb 2025: 143k Mar 2025: 150k Apr 2025: 171k May 2025: 181k Jun 2025: 179k Jul 2025: 186k Aug 2025: 166k Sep 2025: 177k Oct 2025: 174k Nov 2025: 161k Dec 2025: 173k Jan 2026: 173k Feb 2026: 148k Mar 2026: 160k Apr 2026: 161k May 2026: 158k

Source: NHSBSA Prescription Cost Analysis, to May 2026

Combined ethinylestradiol 30mcg versus Levonorgestrel, May 2026
Measure Combined ethinylestradiol 30mcg Levonorgestrel
Items, May 2026 158,188 32,361
Items, last 12 months 2,016,412 208,268
Net ingredient cost, May 2026 £1,137,727 £132,394

See the full profile for Combined ethinylestradiol 30mcg or Levonorgestrel.