title: Extended-Cycle Levonorgestrel/Ethinylestradiol and Low-Dose Ethinylestradiol (Seasonique(®)): A Review of Its Use as an Oral Contraceptive.
abstract: A 91-day extended-cycle oral contraceptive (OC) consisting of levonorgestrel/ethinylestradiol 150/30 µg for 84 days and ethinylestradiol 10 µg for 7 days (Seasonique(®)) has recently been approved for the prevention of pregnancy in adult women in the EU. This regimen allows for a reduction in the number of withdrawal bleeding episodes to four per year, compared with 13 episodes per year with conventional 28-day regimens. Seasonique(®) was effective in preventing pregnancy in a large (n = 1006), noncomparative trial of healthy, sexually active women. In this trial, the overall Pearl index (pregnancies per 100 woman-years of use) in women aged 18-35 years (n = 621) was 0.76 and the Pearl index for method-failure (compliant use) was 0.26. Scheduled (withdrawal) bleeding and/or spotting remained fairly constant over time, with a mean of 2 days of bleeding and 1 day of spotting per each 91-day cycle. Unscheduled bleeding and unscheduled spotting was highest during the first few cycles of use and decreased thereafter. Seasonique(®) was generally well tolerated, with a tolerability profile in line with that expected for OCs. Seasonique(®) extends the contraceptive options currently available to women, particularly in those who desire fewer withdrawal bleeding episodes.
authors.affiliation: Springer, Private Bag 65901, Mairangi Bay, 0754, Auckland, New Zealand, demail@springer.com.
authors.forename: Celeste B
authors.initials: CB
authors.lastname: Burness
mesh_terms: D003277:Contraceptives, Oral, Combined / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004338:Drug Combinations; D004347:Drug Interactions; D004997:Ethinyl Estradiol / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D016912:Levonorgestrel / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008597:Menstrual Cycle / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D003277:Contraceptives, Oral, Combined; D004338:Drug Combinations; C000606708:Seasonique; C072593:ethinyl estradiol, levonorgestrel drug combination; D004997:Ethinyl Estradiol; D016912:Levonorgestrel