European Journal of Contraception & Reproductive Health Care 2011-12-01

Efficacy and tolerability of a monophasic combined oral contraceptive containing nomegestrol acetate and 17β-oestradiol in a 24/4 regimen, in comparison to an oral contraceptive containing ethinylestradiol and drospirenone in a 21/7 regimen.

Diana Mansour, Carole Verhoeven, Werner Sommer, Edith Weisberg, Surasak Taneepanichskul, Gian Benedetto Melis, Inger Sundström-Poromaa, Tjeerd Korver

Index: Eur. J. Contracept. Reprod. Health Care 16(6) , 430-43, (2011)

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Abstract

The primary objective was to assess the efficacy, cycle control and tolerability of a monophasic combined oral contraceptive (COC) containing nomegestrol acetate (NOMAC) and 17β-oestradiol (E2). Effects on acne were evaluated as a secondary objective. Results were compared to those of a COC containing drospirenone (DRSP) and ethinylestradiol (EE).Women (aged 18-50 years) were randomised to receive NOMAC/E2 (2.5 mg/1.5 mg) in a 24/4-day regimen (n=1591) or DRSP/EE (3 mg/30 μg) in a 21/7-day regimen (n=535) for 13 cycles.Estimated Pearl Indices for NOMAC/E2 and DRSP/EE were 0.38 and 0.81 in women aged≤35 years and 0.31 and 0.66 for all women (18-50 years), respectively. Scheduled withdrawal bleedings were shorter and lighter among users of NOMAC/E2 and were sometimes absent altogether. Intracyclic bleeding/spotting was infrequent in both groups, and decreased over time. Type and frequency of adverse events were similar to those typically reported for COCs.These data show that NOMAC/E2 provides high contraceptive efficacy with acceptable cycle control as well as an overall adverse event profile similar to that of DRSP/EE.