Contraceptive compliance with a levonorgestrel triphasic and a norethindrone monophasic oral contraceptive in adolescent patients

Abstract

Objective: This study was undertaken to assess the impact of two low-dose oral contraceptive pills on compliance and side effects in adolescent patients.

Study design: The use of a levonorgestrel-containing triphasic pill (N = 114) was compared with that of a monophasic (1 + 35) norethindrone-containing pill (N = 110) at two different sociodemographic sites.

Results: No significant difference in compliance or pill satisfaction was observed between the pills. Socioeconomic factors were the overriding predictors of compliance. At 3 and 12 months of follow-up, there were significantly fewer complaints of overall side effects (p less than 0.001 and p = 0.004, respectively), breakthrough bleeding (p = 0.017 and p = 0.018), and pill amenorrhea (p = 0.002 and p less than 0.001) among users of the triphasic pill. Mean weight change at 12 months was +1.1 kg for the monophasic pill and -0.1 kg for the triphasic pill. All known pregnancies occurred among noncompliant city clinic patients.

Conclusions: Adolescents experienced fewer side effects with the triphasic pill than with the monophasic one, but compliance was the same.

PIP: This study was undertaken to assess the impact of 2 low-dose oral contraceptives (OCs) on compliance and side effects on adolescent patients. The use of a levonorgestrel-containing triphasic (n=114) was compared with that of a monophasic (1+35) norethindrone-containing pill (n=110) at 2 different sociodemographic sites. No significant difference in compliance or pill satisfaction was seen between the groups. Socioeconomic factors were the overriding predictors of compliance. At 3 and 12 months of followup, there were far fewer complaints of overall side effects (p0.001 and p=0.004, respectively), breakthrough bleeding (p=0.017 and p=0.018), and pill amenorrhea (p=0.002 and p0.001) among users of the triphasic pill. Mean weight change at 12 months was +1.1 kg for the monophasic pill group and -0.1 kg for the triphasic pill group. All known pregnancies occurred among noncompliant city clinic patients. Adolescents experienced fewer side effects with the triphasic pill than with the monophasic one, but compliance was the same.