[The first three-stage preparation for hormonal contraception. Clinical results (author's transl)]

Abstract

The controlled clinical trial is reported of a new three-stage oral contraceptive which has meanwhile been introduced on to the market under the trade name Triquilar. Triquilar has a reliable contraceptive action: no pregnancy occurred in 8068 treatment cycles. In spite of the very low doses of estrogen and gestagen--Triquilar contains the lowest total quantity of steroids of all available preparations--the multistage structure guarantees an outstanding cycle control and a particularly good general tolerance. The reasons are discussed which today support the use of an oral contraceptive with the lowest possible amounts of the two hormone components.

PIP: A study comparing 2 triphasic hormonal contraceptive preparations (combinations of ethinyl estradiol and levonorgestrel) is reported. SH B 264 AB was used by 594 women for 6628 cycles with no pregnancies, while 634 women used SH B 261 AB for 6025 cycles with 1 pregnancy. A lower incidence of breakthrough bleeding and spotting was observed among SH B 264 AB users, and this preparation ("Triquilon") is preferred to the other. Triquilon users had a menstrual cycle length of 26-30 days and an amenorrhea rate of .4%. There was a low rate of breakthrough bleedings and spottings, which was higher when patients forgot to take their pills. In the vast majority of Triquilar users, body weight and blood pressure remained constant. Subjective side effects (e.g. nausea, dizziness, headache) were infrequent and decreased as the length of Triquilar use increased. A separate study of 1440 cycles of Triquilar use and 1343 cycles of Microgynon use showed that, while the contraceptive effectiveness was the same, the incidence of breakthrough bleeding and spotting was significantly less frequent among Triquilar users.