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

Most common
headache/migraine (up to 6.7%)
nausea/vomiting (up to 4.2%)
breast pain/tenderness (up to 4.0%)
menstrual irregularities (up to 4.7%)

Ortho Tri-Cyclen

Most common
headache/migraine (up to 20%)
nausea/vomiting (up to 9%)
breast pain/tenderness (up to 6%)
mood changes (up to 5%)

Yaz vs. Ortho Tri-Cyclen Dosage

Yaz

Dosage
Dosage Table
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

Dosage
Dosage Table
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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