ABSTRACT
Cycle control and tolerance were studied in a group of 55 female volunteers, who took during 42 consecutive days a modern low-dose oral contraceptive: gestodene 75 micrograms/ethinylestradiol 30 micrograms (Minulet). During these 42 days, 96% of the women experienced no breakthrough bleeding and 81% of the women experienced no spotting or breakthrough bleeding. When the findings of this study are compared with the findings of an earlier study with also a seven-week cycle but with other oral contraceptives, it can be concluded that Minulet offered an excellent cycle control.
PIP: 55 women took the combined oral contraceptive Minulet (30 mcg ethinyl estradiol and 75 mcg gestodene) for 42 consecutive days, using 2 active pill strips, to lengthen the interval between withdrawal bleeding and assess acceptability. The study was an open multi-center trial in which 38 general practitioners each supervised 1 or 2 women. The women averaged 27 years old (range 18-40), and had used Minulet without problems for the previous 6 months. 10 women noted spotting, and 2 had breakthrough bleeding, both after Day 21 of pill intake. There was 1 dropout for unrelated medical reasons. Other minor side effects were breast tenderness (7%), nausea (4%), abdominal bloating (4%), headache (2%), and dysmenorrhea (2%). 92% of the women reported extreme to moderate satisfaction, but 4% were not satisfied because of breakthrough bleeding. Nevertheless, these data on breakthrough bleeding were much lower than published data from trials with other combined pills, especially those containing levonorgestrel.
