Body weight change during use of a monophasic oral contraceptive containing 20 microg ethinylestradiol and 75 microg gestodene with a comparison of the women who completed versus those who prematurely discontinued intake.
OBJECTIVE
Evaluation of the impact of an oral contraceptive on body weight with a comparison ofwomen who completed versus women who prematurely discontinued intake.


METHODS
Data on body weight were retrospectively analyzed from four large prospective clinical trials with an oral contraceptive containing 20 microg ethinylestradiol and 75 microg gestodene (EE/GSD). A total of 1971 young fertile women were included in the evaluation, and 1467 completed 12 cycles.


RESULTS
We found no clinically relevant change of body weight during treatment with an oral contraceptive containing 20 microg ethinylestradiol and 75 microg gestodene in the vast majority of users after 12 treatment cycles. The mean change of body weight was less than 0.3 kg in this time period for all users. Nearly 70% of women experienced a minor change in their body weight of +/- 2 kg. An additional 13% lost more than 2 kg body weight in the course of 12 treatment cycles. A total of 11% increased their weight by 2-4 kg. A total of 1255 (85.5%) of women had a body mass index (BMI) of < or = 25 at baseline compared to 1253 (85.4%) after 12 cycles of treatment. There was no significant difference in the change ofbody weight between the women completing 12 cycles of treatment and those who prematurely discontinued EE/GSD.


CONCLUSIONS
This retrospective analysis confirms that there was only a negligible change of body weight during intake of an oral contraceptive containing 20 microg ethinylestradiol and 75 microg gestodene. There was no difference in weight change between the women completing the study or discontinuing intake.
Endrikat
J
J
Schering AG, Berlin, Germany.
Gerlinger
C
C
Cronin
M
M
Wessel
J
J
Ruebig
A
A
Rosenbaum
P
P
Düsterberg
B
B
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects*; D003277:Contraceptives, Oral, Combined / Q000494:pharmacology*; D003280:Contraceptives, Oral, Synthetic / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004338:Drug Combinations; D045166:Estradiol Congeners / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004997:Ethinyl Estradiol / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D009652:Norpregnenes / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010349:Patient Compliance; D045167:Progesterone Congeners / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies
D003277:Contraceptives, Oral, Combined; D003280:Contraceptives, Oral, Synthetic; D004338:Drug Combinations; D045166:Estradiol Congeners; D009652:Norpregnenes; D045167:Progesterone Congeners; C033273:Gestodene; D004997:Ethinyl Estradiol