Hum. Reprod. Advance Access originally published online on June 8, 2006
Human Reproduction 2006 21(9):2304-2311; doi:10.1093/humrep/del162
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Effects on cycle control and bodyweight of the combined contraceptive ring, NuvaRing, versus an oral contraceptive containing 30 µg ethinyl estradiol and 3 mg drospirenone
1 Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Sahlgrenska Academy at Göteborg University, Göteborg, Sweden 2 Gynaecology Department, Santiago Hospital, Vitoria, Alava, Spain 3 Risvollan Legesenter as, Trondheim 4 Department of Public Health and Primary Health Care, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway 5 Department of Gynaecological Endocrinology and Reproductive Medicine, University of Vienna Medical School, Vienna, Austria 6 Division of Gynaecological Endocrinology and Reproductive Medicine, University of Berne, Berne, Switzerland 7 French Association for Contraception, Paris, France 8 Søndergade, Haverslev, Nørager, Denmark and 9 Department of Gynaecolgy, Perinatology and Childcare, University of Rome La Sapienza, Rome, Italy
10 To whom correspondence should be addressed at: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Sahlgrenska Academy at Göteborg, SE 416 85 Göteborg, Sweden. E-mail: ian.milsom{at}obgyn.gu.se
BACKGROUND: The objective of this study was to compare cycle control, cycle-related characteristics and bodyweight effects of NuvaRing with those of a combined oral contraceptive (COC) containing 30 µg of ethinyl estradiol and 3 mg of drospirenone. METHODS: A randomized, multicentre, open-label trial in which 983 women were treated (intent-to-treat population) with NuvaRing or the COC for 13 cycles. RESULTS: Breakthrough bleeding or spotting during cycles 213 was in general less frequent with NuvaRing than that with the COC (4.710.4%) and showed a statistically significant odds ratio of 0.61 (95% confidence interval: 0.46, 0.80) with longitudinal analysis. Intended bleeding was significantly better for all cycles with NuvaRing (55.268.5%) than that with the COC (35.656.6%) (P < 0.01). Changes from baseline in mean bodyweight and body composition parameters were relatively small for both groups with no notable between-group differences. CONCLUSION: NuvaRing was associated with better cycle control than the COC, and there was no clinically relevant difference between the two groups in bodyweight.
Key words: combined contraceptive vaginal ring/combined oral contraceptive/cycle control/irregular bleeding