Pill power: oral contraceptives hold top spot in family planning arsenal
Contraceptive technology update 19(10): 125-127
1998
ISSN/ISBN: 0274-726X PMID: 12321842 Document Number: 255412
Results of the 1998 "Contraceptive Technology Update" Pill Survey indicate that oral contraceptives (OCs) remain the top birth control choice for US women. More than 70% of providers who responded to the survey reported that at least 50 women leave their offices each month with an OC prescription. When asked to cite their first OC choice, for a 21-year-old nonsmoking woman, Ortho Tri-Cyclen was selected by 43.6% of providers. This OC is considered an excellent choice for young women because of its ease of use, good cycle control, and beneficial effect on acne. The top choices for a 42-year-old nonsmoking woman were Loestrin (26.5%) and Alesse (21.1%), both of which have low estrogen doses. 25% of providers indicated they had prescribed OCs specifically to decrease the ovarian cancer risk in genetically predisposed women.