title: Belara--proven benefits in daily practice.
abstract: Today, a contraceptive method is available to suit nearly every type of woman, every age and all preferences and expectations. All that seems to remain for users is to look for the right product to satisfy their personal requirements. The physician takes on the role of the adviser, responsible mainly for errors of judgement and undesirable effects. The choice of the suitable contraceptive depends on three factors: the patient profile, the profile of the method used and the user's life situation. In selecting the method of contraception, statistical measures such as the Pearl Index, rate of adverse events, risks and health benefits as well as the pharmacological profile, resulting intake modality and potential interactions should be considered. The patient profile includes both subjective wishes and standards of value relevant for world view, family planning and psychological well-being, as well as objective parameters such as age, BMI, medical history and the woman's sexual behaviour. Evaluation of these parameters by the physician is a major component of successful contraceptive counselling. Belara is a new oral contraceptive on the European market based on a monophasic combination of 2 mg chlormadinone acetate and 0.03 mg ethinylestradiol. As well as high contraceptive efficacy and a low rate of side effects, Belara features an outstanding safety profile due to its almost complete absence of mineralocorticoid and glucocorticoid action and its absent impact on hepatic metabolism. In daily practice, Belara exhibits mild antiandrogenic activity which also makes it suitable for users with antiandrogen-induced seborrhoea and moderate acne. Symptoms of PMS or unspecific dysmenorrhea and menstrual irregularities can also be alleviated or completely eliminated by taking Belara. Belara use has not been associated with any significant weight gain. In daily practice, Belara is suitable for every woman of every age without specific risk factors requiring safe contraception. Belara also has considerable additional health benefits that should also be considered when choosing a suitable contraceptive.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gynaecological Public Health and Psychosomatics, Universitäts-Frauenklinik, Schanzenstrasse 46, CH-4031 Basel, Switzerland.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bitzer
mesh_terms: D000152:Acne Vulgaris / Q000188:drug therapy; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000726:Androgen Antagonists / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002715:Chlormadinone Acetate / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004997:Ethinyl Estradiol / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D011788:Quality of Life
chemical_list: D000726:Androgen Antagonists; C112985:Belara; D002715:Chlormadinone Acetate; D004997:Ethinyl Estradiol