In France, approximately 1.6 million women are affected by a health authority warning regarding certain contraceptive pills containing 75 µg of desogestrel. The cause: an increased risk of an intracranial tumor (meningioma).
A large-scale French study conducted by EPI-PHARE and published in 2025 in The BMJ highlighted an association between the prolonged use of 75 µg desogestrel and an increased risk of intracranial meningioma.
What is the risk?
A meningioma is a tumor that develops in the membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord. It is usually non-cancerous, but depending on its size and location, it can cause symptoms and require medical or surgical treatment.
The results notably show a sharp increase in risk after more than 5 years of continuous use of 75 µg desogestrel.
Researchers estimate approximately one additional case of meningioma requiring surgery for every 17,000 women exposed for more than five years.
Why is this being discussed in September 2026 if the study dates from 2025?
The scientific study is not new. What is new is the scale of the information being sent directly to women.
The initial French results were published by EPI-PHARE at the end of 2024, before their scientific publication in The BMJ in 2025.
After these data were evaluated at the European level, the risk of meningioma became the subject of regulatory measures regarding information provided with medications.
And in September 2026, French authorities are taking a new step: approximately 1.6 million affected women must be directly informed of the risk associated with 75 µg desogestrel.
In other words, this is not a new risk discovered in September 2026; it is the information provided to patients that is taking on a new scale today.
Which pills are affected?
⚠️ The alert concerns oral contraceptives containing 75 µg of desogestrel, a synthetic hormone belonging to the progestin family.
Among the pills affected are Cérazette®, Optimizette®, Antigone®, Clareal®, Desopop®, Lactinette®, Elfasette®, as well as several generics containing 75 µg of desogestrel.
If you take oral contraception, check the name of your pill and then verify if "75 micrograms of desogestrel" is listed in its composition. If in doubt, ask your pharmacist, doctor, gynecologist, or midwife for advice.
What should you do if your pill contains desogestrel?
Check the name and composition of your pill and contact your doctor, gynecologist, or midwife to discuss your duration of exposure, your personal situation, and, if necessary, other possible forms of contraception.
Menstrual health: knowing what we use for our bodies
This news raises a broader question: do we really know what we use daily for our intimate health?
Contraception, menstrual products, intimate hygiene products… These items may be used daily or remain in contact with our body for several hours.
Being able to know their composition, understand how they work, and have access to reliable information allows women to make more informed choices.
It is precisely this pursuit of transparency that is part of the approach of Sherydane, a Swiss brand specializing in organic cotton menstrual panties, designed in Switzerland and manufactured in France.
For its menstrual products, Sherydane prioritizes the use of GOTS-certified organic cotton and materials certified by OEKO-TEX® Standard 100. Special attention is paid to the choice of materials intended to be in contact with the intimate area.
This approach supports a broader conviction: women and young girls should be able to access clear information about the products they use, from their first period to the various stages of their lives.
Staying informed to be able to choose
This news surrounding desogestrel and the risk of meningioma should not lead to stopping one's contraception in haste.
However, it does serve as a reminder of the importance of information and transparency in matters of women's and menstrual health.
Understanding the benefits and risks of a medication, knowing the composition of one's intimate products, and being able to ask questions of healthcare professionals are all essential elements that allow everyone to make informed decisions regarding their body.
Sources: EPI-PHARE; ANSM; The BMJ, 2025. View the EPI-PHARE study published in The BMJ
