[Problems in the evaluation of contraceptives (author's transl)]

Area of Science:

• Reproductive Health
• Biostatistics
• Pharmacology

Background:

• The Life Table method is currently the gold standard for assessing contraceptive effectiveness.
• The original Tietze & Potter Life Table method has limitations, primarily its restriction to evaluating intra-uterine devices.
• The widely used Pearl-index for contraceptive effectiveness is scientifically questionable and lacks clarity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce a modified Life Table method for evaluating oral contraceptives.
• To address the limitations of existing methods for assessing contraceptive effectiveness and side effects.
• To propose a more scientifically rigorous approach than the current use of the Pearl-index.

Main Methods:

• Development of a modified Life Table methodology.
• Application of the modified method to evaluate oral contraceptives.
• Comparative analysis with existing contraceptive evaluation techniques.

Main Results:

• A novel modified Life Table method is under development.
• This new method aims to assess both effectiveness and side effects of oral contraceptives.
• The study highlights the scientific shortcomings of the Pearl-index.

Conclusions:

• The modified Life Table method offers a promising advancement for evaluating oral contraceptives.
• This approach seeks to provide a more accurate and comprehensive assessment than the Pearl-index.
• Further development and validation of this modified method are ongoing.