Abstract

PIP: Synthetic estrogen-gestagen preparations represent a practically 100% efficient birth control method that in addition have a regulating effect on the menstrual cycle, while lowering the frequency with which such diseases as PID. However, side effects due to the metabolic influence of the steroids limit their usage. During recent years, contraceptives with varying steroid contents, imitating the variations of the level of sex hormones in the blood during the menstrual cycle, so-called triphasic contraceptives, have been used. The article describes a comparative study of the efficiency and tolerance of two hormonal contraceptives, containing low doses of steroid components: monophasic Rigevidon and triphasic Triquilar. 110 healthy women aged 20-41 using these two contraceptives for a period of 3-12 months were observed. 14.5% using Rigevidon and 16.4% using Triquilar developed side-effects, e.g., coarsened mammary glands and gastrointestinal irregularities (with a frequency almost twice as high for Rigevidon users), headaches, and nausea. The side effects usually occurred during the first months of usage and then disappeared. Intermenstrual bleeding was observed 1.5 times less frequently for users of Rigevidon. No instances of arterial hypertension were reported. Planned pregnancies occurred for 14 of 15 patients within 6 months after discontinuation of the contraceptive. Spontaneous menstruation reoccurred during 26-35 days for all patients taking Rigevidon and for 96.5% of women using Triquilar. Triquilar shows less pronounced influence on the systolic and diastolic indicators than Rigevidon and the frequency of interrupted menstrual cycles during the first months of contraception was lower. High efficiency, low frequency of side effects, absence of clinically manifested complications reflect the high acceptability of the estrogen-gestagen-containing contraceptives, Rigevidon and Triquilar.