Yaz vs. Ortho Tri-Cyclen
See how Yaz and Ortho Tri-Cyclen compare on approved uses, dosing, side effects, and cost.
Key Takeaways
Yaz is FDA-approved for pregnancy prevention, PMDD, and acne, while Ortho Tri-Cyclen is approved only for pregnancy prevention and acne.
Yaz uses a flat daily dose with a shorter 4-day placebo week, while Ortho Tri-Cyclen uses a triphasic schedule with three rising hormone doses over 21 days.
Ortho Tri-Cyclen's brand is discontinued but its generics are widely available and typically cost far less than Yaz.
Yaz vs. Ortho Tri-Cyclen Drug Summary
Yaz
Yaz is a combination birth control pill containing drospirenone and ethinyl estradiol, taken once daily. It prevents pregnancy and is also FDA-approved to treat PMDD and moderate acne in women who want oral contraception. The pack includes 24 active tablets followed by 4 placebo days.
Ortho Tri-Cyclen
Ortho Tri-Cyclen is a combination birth control pill containing norgestimate and ethinyl estradiol, taken once daily in a triphasic 28-day pack. It prevents pregnancy and treats moderate acne in women who want oral contraception, using three step-up hormone doses over 21 active days followed by 7 placebo days. The brand is discontinued in the U.S., but generic versions remain widely sold.
Yaz vs. Ortho Tri-Cyclen Side Effects
Yaz
Ortho Tri-Cyclen
Yaz vs. Ortho Tri-Cyclen Dosage
Yaz
Ortho Tri-Cyclen
| STAGE | DOSE | WHEN |
| Starting dose | 3 mg/0.02 mg once daily | Days 1-24 |
| Maximum dose | Inert tablet once daily | Days 25-28 |
| Dose changes | 1 increase | Every 24 days |
| STAGE | DOSE | WHEN |
| Starting dose | 0.180 mg/0.035 mg daily | Days 1-7 |
| Maximum dose | Placebo tablet daily | Days 22-28 |
| Dose changes | 3 increases | Every 7 days |
Yaz
| STAGE | DOSE | WHEN |
| Starting dose | 3 mg/0.02 mg once daily | Days 1-24 |
| Maximum dose | Inert tablet once daily | Days 25-28 |
| Dose changes | 1 increase | Every 24 days |
Ortho Tri-Cyclen
| STAGE | DOSE | WHEN |
| Starting dose | 0.180 mg/0.035 mg daily | Days 1-7 |
| Maximum dose | Placebo tablet daily | Days 22-28 |
| Dose changes | 3 increases | Every 7 days |
Yaz vs. Ortho Tri-Cyclen Indications
Yaz
Yaz is approved to prevent pregnancy, treat premenstrual dysphoric disorder, and treat moderate acne in women who also want contraception. It is one of the few combined pills with a dedicated PMDD indication.
Prevent pregnancy
Treat premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) in women choosing oral contraception
Treat moderate acne in women 14 and older who want oral contraception
Ortho Tri-Cyclen
Ortho Tri-Cyclen is approved to prevent pregnancy and to treat moderate acne in women who also want contraception. It carries no PMDD indication, though clinicians sometimes prescribe it off-label to help regulate irregular cycles.
Prevent pregnancy
Treat moderate acne in women 15 and older who want oral contraception
Off-label: help regulate irregular menstrual cycles
Yaz vs. Ortho Tri-Cyclen Pros and Cons
Yaz
Yaz stands out for its added PMDD indication and a shorter placebo interval, but it carries a boxed warning about smoking-related cardiovascular risk and a contraindication in kidney, liver, or adrenal disease. Its brand remains actively marketed, which keeps it more expensive than many generic alternatives.
Pros
FDA-approved specifically for PMDD, unlike Ortho Tri-Cyclen
Only 4 placebo days per cycle instead of 7, which some find reduces withdrawal symptoms
Brand name remains actively marketed and consistently available
Cons
Contraindicated in women with kidney, liver, or adrenal disease due to potassium-retention risk
May require potassium monitoring when combined with certain other medications
Roughly $112 to $226 per month without insurance, more than Ortho Tri-Cyclen and its generics
Ortho Tri-Cyclen
Ortho Tri-Cyclen has a long history of use since 1989 and is now sold almost exclusively as low-cost generics. Its triphasic dosing steps hormone levels up over three weeks, an approach some patients tolerate well, but it lacks a PMDD indication and carries postpartum and breastfeeding restrictions.
Pros
Widely available as low-cost generics such as Tri-Sprintec and TriNessa
Decades of real-world use since its 1989 approval
Triphasic dosing that gradually increases hormone levels rather than a flat daily dose
Cons
Original brand discontinued in the U.S., so only generic versions remain
Not approved for PMDD treatment
Not recommended for breastfeeding women or within 4 weeks postpartum
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