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Monophasic Regimens Should Be First Choice for New Pill Users |
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A new Cochrane review conducted by Leiden University Medical Center in the Netherlands and Family Health International suggests that monophasic regimens should be the first choice over triphasic regimens for new oral contraceptive users. Monophasic regimens typically include three weeks of pills with the same daily amount of hormones, while triphasic regimens include three weeks of pills containing three different amounts of hormones. Triphasic pills were created in the 1980s, allegedly to "mimic" a woman's menstrual cycle and possibly reduce side effects. The systematic review of 21 clinical trials comparing the two regimens found insufficient evidence to determine whether they differ in terms of effectiveness, bleeding patterns, and continuation rates. Given these results, the suggestion to give first-time users monophasic pills was reached in part because of the often higher cost and complexity of triphasic regimens. This suggestion is also in keeping with International Planned Parenthood Federation guidelines, which recommend that new oral contraceptive users start with monophasic pills containing 30 to 35 micrograms of estrogen. Read more about this review published in the Cochrane Library. Source
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