title: Mood and physical symptoms improve in women with severe cyclical changes by taking an oral contraceptive containing 250-mcg norgestimate and 35-mcg ethinyl estradiol.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The purpose of this study was to investigate how women without and with different severity of premenstrual symptoms react to treatment with a combined oral contraceptive containing 250-mcg norgestimate/35-mcg ethinyl estradiol (EE). Focus was placed on mood and physical symptoms.
  
  
  METHODS
  This open, prospective study evaluated 24 women using norgestimate/EE for three cycles in a 21/7 regimen. Symptoms and bleeding pattern were captured by daily ratings on the Cyclicity Diagnoser scale.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Women with severe premenstrual mood symptoms improved in summarized negative mood (p<.001) and summarized positive mood (p<.05), as well as in swelling (p<.05) and effect on daily life (p<.05). Women with no or mild or moderate symptoms did not show any significant improvement or deterioration in any symptom after 3 months of treatment.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Norgestimate 250 mcg/EE 35 mcg significantly improved premenstrual summarized negative mood symptoms during 3 treatment months compared to pretreatment in women with severe premenstrual symptoms, together with improvement in positive symptoms, swelling and effect on daily life.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Science, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Umeå University, S-90185 Umeå, Sweden. Sigrid.nyberg@vll.se
authors.forename: Sigrid
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nyberg
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000328:Adult; D001940:Breast / Q000187:drug effects; D003277:Contraceptives, Oral, Combined / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D039721:Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; D004487:Edema / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D019304:Ethinyl Estradiol-Norgestrel Combination / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007508:Irritable Mood / Q000187:drug effects*; D008183:Luteal Phase; D009644:Norgestrel / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010352:Patient Dropouts; D011293:Premenstrual Syndrome / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D055502:Secondary Prevention; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013548:Sweden; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D003277:Contraceptives, Oral, Combined; D009644:Norgestrel; D019304:Ethinyl Estradiol-Norgestrel Combination; C017576:norgestimate