Related Experiment Videos
Triphasic versus monophasic oral contraceptives for contraception
H A A M van Vliet1, D A Grimes, L M Lopez
1Leiden University Medical Center, Dep.of Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Reproductive Medecine, Albinusdreef 2, Leiden, Netherlands NL 2300 RC. haam.vliet@worldonline.nl
The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews
|July 21, 2006
Summary
Current evidence is insufficient to determine if triphasic oral contraceptives (OCs) are superior to monophasic OCs. Monophasic pills are recommended as a first choice due to limited data on triphasic OC effectiveness and side effects.
Area of Science:
- Reproductive Health
- Pharmacology
- Clinical Trials
Background:
- Oral contraceptive pills (OCs) are widely used for pregnancy prevention.
- Side effects of OCs can impact adherence and continuation rates.
- Triphasic OCs were developed to potentially mitigate adverse effects compared to monophasic formulations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare the efficacy, cycle control, and discontinuation rates due to side effects between triphasic and monophasic oral contraceptives.
- To evaluate the available evidence from randomized controlled trials (RCTs).
Main Methods:
- A systematic search of multiple electronic databases (MEDLINE, EMBASE, POPLINE, LILACS, CENTRAL) was conducted.
- Included randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing triphasic OCs with monophasic OCs for at least three treatment cycles.
- Data on contraceptive effectiveness, bleeding patterns, and discontinuation were collected and analyzed.
Main Results:
- Contraceptive effectiveness did not significantly differ between triphasic and monophasic OCs across 18 trials.
- Some trials suggested potentially favorable bleeding patterns with triphasic OCs, but meta-analysis was limited by data heterogeneity.
- No significant differences were observed in discontinuation rates due to medical reasons or adverse events.
Conclusions:
- Insufficient evidence exists to definitively conclude whether triphasic OCs offer advantages over monophasic OCs in terms of effectiveness, bleeding control, or discontinuation.
- Monophasic pills are recommended as a first-line option for initiating oral contraceptive use.
- High-quality RCTs are needed to compare triphasic and monophasic OCs with identical progestogens, adhering to standardized reporting guidelines.