A clinical trial of norethisterone oenanthate (Norigest) injected every two months
Howard, G.; Blair, M.; Chen, J.K.; Fotherby, K.; Muggeridge, J.; Elder, M.G.; Bye, P.G.
Contraception 25(4): 333-340
1982
ISSN/ISBN: 0010-7824 PMID: 7049569 DOI: 10.1016/0010-7824(82)90091-9Document Number: 562741
A clinical trial was carried out in which Norigest (200 mg norethisterone oenanthate) was administered by intramuscular injection every 56 days into 383 women studied for 5,521 woman-months of use. No pregnancies occurred. Continuation rates at the end of one, two and three years were 76.6%, 63.7% and 33.8%. Only minor side-effects were recorded. After one year of use, 20.1% women had gained more than 2 kg in weight and 14.8% had lost more than 2 kg. There was marked disruption of the menstrual pattern and irregular bleeding was the major cause of discontinuation. In 38% of the injection intervals analysed, women were amenorrhoeic. Norigest proved an effective and acceptable method of fertility control.