Recent developments in hormone delivery systems.
Women who want safe, effective contraception have many more options than they did only a few years ago. Each option must be weighed carefully according to the needs and lifestyle of each particular woman. One method that provides long-term convenience with a side-effect profile that is comparable to that of oral contraceptives is the once-a-month injectable contraceptive containing 25 mg medroxyprogesterone acetate and 5 mg estradiol cypionate. Another option is the levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine contraceptive system that offers pregnancy prevention for 5 years. Finally, hormonal implants that release low doses of progestins have been used for more than 30 years by a total of 10 million women, and easier-to-use implants will soon be available.
Shulman
Lee P
LP
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Feinberg School of Medicine at Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA. l-shulman@northwestern.edu
Nelson
Anita L
AL
Darney
Philip D
PD
D003271:Contraceptive Agents, Female / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems; D004343:Drug Implants; D004958:Estradiol / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007436:Intrauterine Devices, Medicated; D016912:Levonorgestrel / Q000008:administration & dosage; D017258:Medroxyprogesterone Acetate / Q000008:administration & dosage
D003271:Contraceptive Agents, Female; D004343:Drug Implants; D004958:Estradiol; D016912:Levonorgestrel; C007630:estradiol 17 beta-cypionate; D017258:Medroxyprogesterone Acetate