Combined pill
Marvelon pills: price, side effects and how to take them
Marvelon (desogestrel 150 mcg + ethinylestradiol 30 mcg)
Quick answer
Marvelon (desogestrel 150 mcg + ethinylestradiol 30 mcg) is a combined pill, listed as a 28-tablet pack from ₱320.
No other Philippine brand has the same formula. It needs a reseta (Prescription. All birth control pills need one in the Philippines.). Check the leaflet for how many tablets in your pack are hormone tablets.
Key facts
- Generic name
- desogestrel 150 mcg + ethinylestradiol 30 mcg
- Type
- Combined pill (estrogen + progestin)
- Pack
- 28 tablets: 21 hormone, 7 inactive
- Prescription
- Required in the Philippines
- Price this month
- From ₱320 a pack
- Same formula
- None in the PH
Marvelon pairs ethinylestradiol 30 mcg with desogestrel (A progestin in Marvelon (combined) and Cerazette (progestin only).) 150 mcg. Desogestrel is also the hormone in Cerazette (desogestrel 75 mcg), but Cerazette has no estrogen and half the desogestrel, so the two are not interchangeable. Marvelon was ₱320 at Watsons and ₱326.50 at Rose Pharmacy.[src][src] There is no same-formula twin on our list. Expats from the UK, EU or Canada will know the same Marvelon name (see pill equivalents).
Marvelon price in the Philippines
Prices checked October 2026. Every pharmacy below requires a prescription.
| Retailer | Pack | Price | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|
| WatsonsPrescription required | 28 tablets | ₱320.00 | October 2026 |
| Rose PharmacyPrescription required | 28 tablets | ₱326.50 | October 2026 |
| Mercury Drug | No public online price | [TODO: verify] | |
| Southstar Drug | No public online price | [TODO: verify] |
How to take Marvelon
Marvelon is listed as a 28-tablet pack, but we could not confirm how many are hormone tablets and how many are inactive in the Philippine pack. Read the leaflet before you start: it tells you whether you take a tablet every day with no gap or take a break, and when to start the next pack. Take one hormone tablet a day at about the same time, following the arrows.
When to start: WHO says a combined pill can start within the first 5 days of your period with no extra protection, or any other day if you are reasonably sure you are not pregnant, with condoms for the first 7 days.[src] A longer hormone-free gap than the leaflet allows counts like missed pills.[src]
Pack regimen listed as 28 tablets. [TODO: verify active and inactive split on the PH pack]
If you miss a Marvelon pill
Marvelon is a 30 to 35 mcg combined pill. If you miss 1 or 2 hormone pills, take one as soon as you remember and carry on: WHO says there is little or no risk of pregnancy. If you miss 3 or more in a row, take one now, use condoms for 7 days, and if it happened in the last hormone week, skip the break or inactive pills and start a new pack.
If you had sex in the last 5 days and missed pills, talk to a doctor today about emergency options. If unsure, talk to a doctor or pharmacist.
Open the Missed Pill HelperMarvelon side effects and what Filipinas worry about
Early spotting, sore breasts, nausea, headaches and mood changes can happen in the first 3 months and usually settle.[src] EMA's review put the clot risk of desogestrel pills in the same range as Diane-35, higher than levonorgestrel pills like Lady (levonorgestrel + ethinylestradiol), though still small.[src] Marvelon is not for smokers 35 and over or people with migraine with aura.[src]
Nakakataba ba ang Marvelon?
No large effect, per a Cochrane review of placebo-controlled trials of combined pills,[src] and the NHS says there is no evidence the pill causes weight gain.[src]
Nakakataba ba ang pills?Do pills make you gain weight?
Reviews of placebo-controlled trials have not found a large effect of combined pills on weight. Some people notice bloating or a bigger appetite in the first months, which usually settles. Weight changes over time with or without pills, which is why only controlled trials can answer this. The injectable (DMPA) is the one method with evidence of weight gain in some users.
Read moreDiane-35 o Yaz para sa acne?Which pill helps acne or PCOS?
Cyproterone acetate pills (Diane-35, Althea, Cybelle) are approved for moderate to severe androgen-related acne and excess hair, usually after other treatments. They should not be combined with another hormonal contraceptive. Acne often takes a few cycles to improve and can return after stopping.
Read moreDelikado ba ang pills?Are pills dangerous? What about blood clots?
The risk of a blood clot on the combined pill is real but small. Combined pills are not suitable for smokers 35 and over, people with migraine with aura, a past clot, high blood pressure and some other conditions. Chest pain, leg swelling or sudden breathlessness are emergencies.
Who should not take Marvelon
Who should not take it
Combined pills may not be safe for you if:
- You smoke and are 35 or older
- You get migraine with aura (flashing lights or zigzags before a headache)
- You have had a blood clot in a leg or lung, or a stroke
- You have high blood pressure
- You gave birth less than 6 weeks ago and are breastfeeding
- You have some heart, liver or diabetes conditions
Combined pills may not be safe for you. Talk to a doctor. A progestin-only pill, implant or IUD is often an option instead.
Common side effects
Spotting between periods, sore breasts, nausea, headaches and mood changes, mostly in the first 3 months. Most settle within about 3 months. More on side effects.
When to get urgent help
Go to an emergency room now for chest pain, sudden breathlessness, coughing blood, a painful swollen leg, a sudden severe headache, vision changes or weakness on one side.
Check the product is registered
Buy only from licensed pharmacies. You can look up a product on the FDA Philippines verification portal.
Same formula, different price
Desogestrel 150 mcg + EE 30 mcg. Same active ingredients and dose; pack and inactive tablets can differ.
No other brand sold in the Philippines has exactly the same formula as Marvelon (desogestrel + ethinylestradiol). See all pills compared.
Three legal routes
Get a prescription
Marvelon needs a prescription in the Philippines. Pick the route that suits you. For adults 18 and over.
Free at a health center
Barangay health centers, RHUs, DOH hospitals and Likhaan. Subject to supply.
See an OB-GYN in person
Clinic visit, prescription in hand. Bring it to any licensed pharmacy.
Online consult
A licensed doctor by video or chat. From ₱700 on some platforms.
Online consult options
For adults 18 and over. Fees are set by each provider and can change.
Marvelon FAQ
How many hormone pills are in a Marvelon pack?
It is listed as 28 tablets, but we could not confirm the split between hormone and inactive tablets in the Philippine pack. Check the leaflet in your box.
Is Marvelon the same as Cerazette?
No. Both contain desogestrel, but Marvelon is a combined pill with estrogen and 150 mcg of desogestrel. Cerazette is a progestin-only pill with 75 mcg and no estrogen.
Is Marvelon good for acne?
Our acne sources cover cyproterone pills such as Diane-35, Althea and Cybelle, not Marvelon. Some people find their skin changes on any combined pill. Ask your doctor what fits your skin.
Nakakataba ba ang Marvelon?
Ayon sa Cochrane review, walang malaking epekto sa timbang ang combined pills. May iba na nakakaramdam ng bloating sa unang buwan, na kadalasang nawawala.
Is there a cheaper version of Marvelon?
Not on our list. Marvelon costs from ₱320 and has no same-formula twin in the Philippines. If cost is a problem, ask your doctor about other pills or free pills at a health center.
This guide is for information. Talk to a doctor before starting, stopping or switching birth control.
Sources
- Family Planning: A Global Handbook for Providers, WHO and Johns Hopkins CCP
- Managing missed pills (Family Planning Handbook), WHO and Johns Hopkins CCP
- Combined pill: risks and side effects, NHS
- Combined pill: who can and cannot take it, NHS
- Combination contraceptives: effects on weight (Gallo et al.), Cochrane / PubMed
- Benefits of Diane 35 and its generics outweigh risks in certain patient groups, European Medicines Agency
- Oral contraceptives category, Watsons PH
- Prescription Pharmacy: Contraceptive Agents, Rose Pharmacy