Updated: February 8, 2026

What Is Seasonique? Uses, Dosage, and What You Need to Know in 2026

Author

Peter Daggett

Summarize with AI

What Is Seasonique?
What Is Seasonique Used For?
How Do You Take Seasonique?
How Effective Is Seasonique?
Who Should Not Take Seasonique?
Generics and Name Variants

Seasonique is an extended-cycle birth control pill that reduces periods to four per year. Here's everything you need to know about how it works, dosing, and who it's for.

Seasonique is an extended-cycle birth control pill that gives you four periods per year instead of twelve. It's one of the most prescribed extended-cycle oral contraceptives in the United States, and it works differently from standard 28-day pills in several important ways. This guide explains everything you need to know.

What Is Seasonique?

Seasonique is a combination oral contraceptive (COC) manufactured by Teva Pharmaceuticals. It contains two hormones: levonorgestrel (a synthetic progestin) and ethinyl estradiol (a synthetic estrogen). Instead of the traditional 21-day active / 7-day placebo cycle that results in a monthly period, Seasonique uses an 84-day active / 7-day low-dose estrogen cycle — giving you approximately four periods per year.

The 91-day pack contains:

84 light blue-green active tablets: each containing levonorgestrel 0.15 mg + ethinyl estradiol 0.03 mg
7 yellow low-dose estrogen tablets: each containing ethinyl estradiol 0.01 mg only (no progestin)

The low-dose estrogen in the final 7 days is a key feature that distinguishes Seasonique from Seasonale (which uses inert placebo tablets in the final week). The low-dose estrogen helps minimize breakthrough bleeding and reduce symptoms like headaches and mood changes that some women experience during the hormone-free interval of traditional pills.

What Is Seasonique Used For?

Seasonique is FDA-approved for one indication: preventing pregnancy in females of reproductive potential. However, it is also commonly used off-label for:

Endometriosis: Reducing the frequency of withdrawal bleeds limits the hormonal fluctuations that can trigger endometriosis flares.
Dysmenorrhea (painful periods): Fewer periods mean fewer episodes of severe cramping.
PMDD (premenstrual dysphoric disorder): Extended cycling reduces the frequency of the hormonal fluctuations that drive PMDD symptoms.
PCOS management: Hormonal regulation and menstrual cycle management.
Acne: Some patients experience improvement in hormonal acne, though Seasonique is not specifically FDA-approved for this indication.

How Do You Take Seasonique?

Take one tablet by mouth at the same time every day, in the order indicated on the dispenser. The dosing schedule is:

Days 1–84: Take one light blue-green active tablet daily (levonorgestrel 0.15 mg / ethinyl estradiol 0.03 mg)
Days 85–91: Take one yellow low-dose estrogen tablet daily (ethinyl estradiol 0.01 mg only). Your scheduled period will typically occur during this week.
Day 92: Start the next 91-day pack immediately, with no gap between packs.

When to start: Take the first tablet on the first Sunday after your period starts. You may need to use backup contraception (condoms) for the first 7 days of your first pack.

How Effective Is Seasonique?

In a 12-month clinical study of women aged 18–35, Seasonique had a Pearl Index (PI) of 1.34 pregnancies per 100 women-years of use. This is comparable to other combination oral contraceptives. With typical use, oral contraceptives have about a 7–9% annual failure rate (meaning 7–9 out of 100 women will become pregnant due to missed pills or other errors). With perfect use, the rate drops to less than 1%.

Who Should Not Take Seasonique?

Seasonique is contraindicated in patients who:

Smoke and are over 35 years old (boxed warning)
Have a history of blood clots, stroke, or heart attack
Have uncontrolled high blood pressure
Have liver disease or liver cancer
Have or have had breast or uterine cancer
Have migraine with aura (focal neurological symptoms)
Are pregnant
Are breastfeeding (may reduce milk production)

Generics and Name Variants

Seasonique has six FDA-approved AB-rated generic equivalents: Amethia, Ashlyna, Camrese, Daysee, Jaimiess, and Simpesse. All contain the same active ingredients in the same doses and are therapeutically interchangeable. Generic versions can cost as little as $21–$35 per pack with discount cards like GoodRx.

If you have a prescription and need to find it in stock, medfinder can help you locate it at a pharmacy near you.

Want to understand exactly how Seasonique works in the body? See our deep dive: How Does Seasonique Work? Mechanism of Action Explained.

Frequently Asked Questions

Seasonique is FDA-approved to prevent pregnancy. It is also commonly used off-label to manage endometriosis, dysmenorrhea (painful periods), premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD), PCOS, and to reduce the frequency of menstrual periods. Talk to your provider about whether Seasonique is appropriate for your specific condition.

Standard birth control pills use a 28-day cycle (21 active pills + 7 placebo), resulting in a monthly period. Seasonique uses a 91-day cycle (84 active pills + 7 low-dose estrogen pills), resulting in about four periods per year. The low-dose estrogen in the final 7 days also helps reduce breakthrough bleeding compared to pills that use plain placebos in the final week.

You will have approximately four scheduled periods per year on Seasonique — one at the end of each 91-day cycle, during the 7-day low-dose estrogen phase. Each scheduled period typically lasts about 3 days but may be lighter than usual. Some unscheduled spotting or breakthrough bleeding is common, especially in the first cycle.

Yes. Seasonique is still available in 2026 and is not on the FDA Drug Shortage Database. However, availability at individual pharmacies can be inconsistent, particularly for some generics. Six AB-rated generic equivalents (Amethia, Ashlyna, Camrese, Daysee, Jaimiess, Simpesse) are also available and contain the same active ingredients.

If you miss one active (blue-green) tablet, take it as soon as you remember. If you miss two or more tablets, take two pills on the day you remember, two pills the next day, then resume your normal schedule — and use backup contraception for the next 7 days. If you miss yellow tablets (days 85–91), throw them away and start the next pack as scheduled. Call your provider if you're unsure what to do.

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