title: The trimonthly combination oral contraceptive regimen: is it cost effective?
abstract: The extended use of combination oral contraceptive pills (COCPs) to decrease the frequency of withdrawal bleeding can be convenient and beneficial to women. We conducted a cost-effective analysis comparing the standard regimen (21 days of estrogen/progestin) to a trimonthly regimen (84 days of estrogen/progestin) followed by a pill-free week for 1-year. The economic savings for patient out-of-pocket expenses from decreased sanitary product usage as a result of nine fewer withdrawal bleeding episodes is offset by the cost of three extra packages of COCPs from the trimonthly regimen. On the basis of an average use of 18 tampons per month, the trimonthly regimen is cost effective when the patient cost per package of pills is less than $9.45. The trimonthly regimen is also cost effective when the sanitary product usage is in the higher range; an above average use of 48 tampons per month is cost effective when the patient cost per package of pills is less than $25.20. Therefore, the trimonthly regimen may be useful for women with menorrhagia, but for the average women, the qualitative benefits of less frequent withdrawal bleeding need to be weighed against an increase in cost.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Magee-Womens Hospital, Pennsylvania 15213-3180, USA. jschwartz@mail.magee.edu
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Schwartz
authors.forename: M D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Creinin
authors.forename: H C
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Pymar
mesh_terms: D003277:Contraceptives, Oral, Combined / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000191:economics*; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D016527:Drug Costs; D004967:Estrogens / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D011372:Progestins / Q000008:administration & dosage; D013630:Tampons, Surgical / Q000191:economics; D014592:Uterine Hemorrhage / Q000191:economics / Q000517:prevention & control
chemical_list: D003277:Contraceptives, Oral, Combined; D004967:Estrogens; D011372:Progestins