Birth control options for women
Description
An in-depth report on the birth control options available to women.
Alternative Names
Contraception
Highlights
Drug Approvals
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Plan B
(August 2006). Emergency contraception is now available without a prescription for women 18 years and older.
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Implanon
(July 2006). The first implantable contraceptive since Norplant was withdrawn from the U.S. market in 2002.
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Seasonique
(May 2006). A follow-up to the extended-use oral contraceptive Seasonale, Seasonique eliminates the hormone-free interval with 84 days of levonorgestrel and estradiol, followed by 4 days of very low-dose estradiol.
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Yaz
(March 2006). A lower-dose version of the oral contraceptive Yasmin, Yaz uses 24 days of drospirenone and estradiol followed by 4 days of placebo pills.
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Loestrin 24 Fe
(February 2006). Another new 28-day oral contraceptive, with 24 days of norethindrone and estradiol followed by 4 days of iron supplement pills.
Drug Warning
The contraceptive skin patch Ortho Evra exposes women to about 60% more estrogen than most birth control pills. Higher levels of estrogen may increase the risk for blood clots in some women. In 2005, the FDA advised women that they should ask their doctors whether the patch is right for them.
New Trends in Contraception
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Continuous dosing oral contraceptives
. Several forms of 91-day oral contraceptives are now available. These contraceptives reduce the number of menstrual periods from once a month to 4 times a year.
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The return of the implant
. Implanon is a new implanted contraceptive that hopefully will cause fewer complications than Norplant. (However, some doctors think it’s too early to know if Implanon is safe.) Unlike Norplant, Implanon uses one rod instead of six, and a different form of progestin. The rod can stay in place up to 3 years, and must be inserted and removed by a trained health care provider.
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Nonsurgical sterilization
. The Essure procedure is much less invasive than tubal ligation. But, women should make sure an experienced doctor performs it.
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Review Date: 10/22/2006
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Reviewed By: Harvey Simon, M.D., Associate Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School; Physician, Massachusetts General Hospital.
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