tri-cyclen and Metrorrhagia

To compare bleeding patterns between a 21/7-day triphasic norgestimate/ethinyl estradiol (E2) 25-microgram oral contraceptive pill (OCP) and a 24/4-day drospirenone/ethinyl E2 20-microgram OCP.. In a three-cycle, open-label, multicenter study, healthy, sexually active women were assigned randomly to a 21/7-day (norgestimate/ethinyl E2) or 24/4-day (drospirenone/ethinyl E2) OCP regimen. Randomization was stratified to assure a balanced distribution between regimens for "fresh starts" and "switchers." Bleeding data were collected daily using an interactive voice-response system. Bleeding was defined according to the 2007 U.S. Food and Drug Administration's Reproductive Health Drug Advisory Committee-endorsed criteria.. Across the three cycles, the 21/7-day OCP group (n=165) reported fewer unscheduled bleeding days than did the 24/4-day OCP group (n=167) (mean 4.6 compared with 6.1 days, P=.003). Women using the 21/7-day OCP had significantly fewer episodes of unscheduled bleeding than did those using the 24/4-day OCP (mean 1.47 compared with 2.01, P=.001). Moreover, women using the 21/7-day OCP had a significantly lower absence of scheduled bleeding at each cycle (P<.001). Both regimens were well-tolerated.. A 21-day norgestimate/ethinyl E2 25-microgram regimen results in less unscheduled bleeding and more scheduled bleeding than does a 24-day drospirenone/ethinyl E2 20-microgram regimen.. ClinicalTrials.gov, www.ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT00745901.. I.

Topics: Adult; Androstenes; Contraceptives, Oral, Combined; Drug Combinations; Ethinyl Estradiol; Female; Humans; Menstrual Cycle; Metrorrhagia; Mineralocorticoid Receptor Antagonists; Norgestrel; Young Adult