Abstract

PIP: 3 groups of women aged 19-25 with normal weight and in good physical health were studied. In the first group, 40 subjects received a monophasic oral contraceptive (OC) containing .15 mg of levonorgestrel (LNG) and .03 mg of ethinyl estradiol (EE). In the second group, 32 women received a triphasic OC containing LNG and EE (.05 mg of LNG + .03 mg of EE; .075 mg of LNG + .04 mg of EE; .125 mg of LNG + .03 mg of EE). In the third group, 34 women received a monophasic OC containing .15 mg of desogestrel (DSG) and .03 mg of ethinyl estradiol (EE). The observation lasted 6 month, involving 646 menstrual cycles. 3 months and 6 months later, checkups were conducted to find out about characteristics of the cycles, spotting or BTB (hemorrhagic rupture), weight change, and other minor disorders. After 3 months, spotting occurred in 4.1% of the monophasic LNG group, in 5.8% of the monophasic DSG group, and in 1% of the triphasic group (significantly higher in the DSG group). Heavy bleeding decreased from 25% in the LNG group, 25% in the triphasic group, and 17.6% in the DSG group to 0 after 6 months. Likewise, dysmenorrhea disappeared in all 3 groups. Weight change occurred in 50% of the LNG group, in 57% of the triphasic group, and in 76% of the DSG group. Premenstrual disorders, such as mastodynia, dropped from 40 to 25% in the LNG group, from 75 to 50% in the triphasic group, and from 54.5 to 36.3% in the DSG group after 6 months. Depression decreased from 20 to 8.3% in the LNG group and from 18.1 to 4.5% in the DSG group. Acne fell from 25% to 0 in the triphasic group and from 31.8 to 9 in the DSG group. These OCs were well tolerated without major differences between their minor side effects.