New Extended-Cycle Oral Contraceptives:
All the Benefits and Fewer Periods, Too
Given a choice, most women would prefer to menstruate less
frequently-or not at all- according to research conducted in the U.S.
and Europe. That comes as no surprise. Many women suffer heavy
bleeding, cramping, moodiness or other discomfort during their periods
and would happily do without the monthly inconvenience.
Generally, women who use oral contraceptives ("the pill" or
"OCs" for short) are pleased to discover benefits beyond
pregnancy prevention. Women using OCs often experience less painful,
lighter periods and fewer symptoms of premenstrual syndrome (PMS). And
now, women who use OCs can have fewer periods, too.
The idea of "extended cycles" is the latest development in
oral contraception. Extended-cycle OCs allow women to have their
period just four times a year. If you choose an extended-cycle
prescription, you take the contraceptive pill, which contains the
hormones estrogen and progestin, every day for 84 days straight,
followed by a week of sugar pills (or no pills). During the week of
sugar pills, you have your period. When the sugar pills are gone, you
simply restart the hormone pills and repeat the cycle again. Women
using ordinary monthly OCs take the hormone-containing pill for just
21 days, followed by a week of sugar pills (or no pills) and then
start again.
The only thing the extended-cycle regimen affects is the length of
time between periods. All the other benefits of using OCs-99%
protection against pregnancy, reduced menstrual blood flow, shorter
periods, and fewer PMS symptoms-still apply. Presently, data indicate
that extended-cycle pills are just as safe as regular OCs and have not
led to infertility in women who want to get pregnant.
So, you may ask, why 84 days instead of 42 or some other number? In a
series of studies, normally menstruating women of different ages were
questioned about the length and difficulty of their periods. They were
asked how often, using oral contraceptives, they would have their
period if they could choose. A majority of the women preferred to
menstruate less often than once a month. Among adolescent girls (aged
15 to 19), the preferred frequency of bleeding was once every three
months (or 84 days). This preference prompted drug makers to develop
the extended regimen.
Young women involved in sports and the athletic organizations they
play for have become especially interested in extended-cycle OCs. And
women of all ages enjoy the convenience of having periods just four
times a year, especially when it comes to planning vacations and other
special activities.
For more information about extended-cycle OCs, visit
http://www.seasonale.com or send
your specific questions to AWARE by
clicking here.