Long-interval treatment regimen with a desogestrel-containing oral contraceptive
Cachrimanidou, A.C.; Hellberg, D.; Nilsson, S.; Waldenström, U.; Olsson, S.E.; Sikström, B.
Contraception 48(3): 205-216
1993
ISSN/ISBN: 0010-7824 PMID: 8222651 DOI: 10.1016/0010-7824(93)80141-hDocument Number: 329636
A randomized multicenter study was performed in order to investigate the acceptance of a low-dose OC (30 mu-g of ethinyloestradiol and 150 mu-g of desogestrel), using a 9 weeks on and 1 week off schedule (prolonged regimen, n=198), compared to a traditional 3 weeks on, 1 week off schedule (standard regimen, n=96). Haemoglobin and blood pressure remained the same in both groups during the study. No significant differences were found in body weight changes between the two groups. There was significantly more breakthrough bleeding and spotting in the group with prolonged regimen than in the group with standard regimen, but both breakthrough bleeding and spotting decreased during the trial. Irregular bleeding was significantly less in women who were already using OC, compared to "new starters." No serious side effects occurred. Significantly more women stopped the trial because of bleeding problems in the group with prolonged regimen, while there were significantly more women who stopped the trial because of headache in the group with standard regimen. After completing 12 months, or after premature withdrawal from the study, each woman completed a questionnaire. Sixty-three per cent of the women preferred the studied alternative and twenty-six per cent preferred the traditional OC.