New Study Shows Women Experience Significantly Less Unscheduled Bleeding With the ORTHO TRI-CYCLEN(R) LO Birth Control Pill Versus An...( CHICAGO May 5 /- The ...),Health

CHICAGO, May 5 /PRNewswire/ -- The birth control pill ORTHO TRI-CYCLEN(R) LO (norgestimate/ethinyl estradiol) is associated with fewer mean days of unscheduled bleeding than another popular birth control pill, YAZ(R) (drospirenone/ethinyl estradiol), in healthy, sexually active women, according to a study presented today at the 57th Annual Clinical Meeting of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG)(1).

Historical reviews have estimated that at least one third of women who start oral contraceptives (OC) discontinue use after one year. According to one nationwide prospective study, side effects were noted as the most common reason for stopping oral contraceptives with bleeding irregularities being the most common side effect noted(2). Furthermore, approximately 80 percent of women who discontinue OCs, but who do not wish to become pregnant, switch to a less effective method, or no method, of birth control(2). In addition, a related study found that among women who called or visited their providers about OC side effects, more than 30 percent complained of breakthrough bleeding(3).

"While unscheduled bleeding has been regarded as a leading cause for discontinuing oral contraceptives, few studies have compared two commonly prescribed oral contraceptives," said Katherine LaGuardia, M.D., director, medical affairs, Ortho Women's Health & Urology(TM). "The results of this first-of-a-kind study lend further support to ORTHO TRI-CYCLEN LO as an effective birth control option for women desiring more reliable and predictable periods."

Study Details(1)

Conducted over three menstrual cycles in 355 healthy, sexually active females, this randomized, open-label study was designed to compare cycle control attained with a 21-day versus a 24-day OC regimen. The OC regimens evaluated were 21-day ORTHO TRI-CYCLEN LO and 24-day YAZ.

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