Missed opportunities in contraceptive counselling: findings from a European survey-based study with simulated patient consultation.

Purpose: Available evidence highlights unmet needs in contraceptive counselling practices. This study aimed to understand current practises and clinician behaviour across Europe.

Methods: A novel, online approach was used to simulate contraceptive counselling discussions based on three, predefined patient types with a hidden need: poor compliance (patient X), headaches (Y) or desire for a hormone-free option (Z).

Pooled analysis of bleeding profile, efficacy and safety of oral oestradiol valerate/dienogest in women aged 25 and under.

To evaluate differences in key outcomes between younger and older women receiving the oral contraceptive oestradiol valerate/dienogest (E2V/DNG). We conducted a pooled analysis of primary data from 12 studies of E2V/DNG, stratified by age (≤25 [ = 1309] and >25 [ = 2132] years). Outcomes included safety, efficacy, bleeding profile and hormone-withdrawal-associated symptoms (HWAS).

Bleeding patterns with the 19.5 mg LNG-IUS, with special focus on the first year of use: implications for counselling.

The aim of the study was to provide an additional, detailed description of early bleeding patterns with the 19.5 mg levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine system (LNG-IUS). We conducted a pooled analysis of the bleeding diaries of participants in a previously reported phase II randomised controlled study ( = 741) and a phase III study ( = 2904), with 2-year extension phase ( = 707), of the 19.

Different Pearl Indices in studies of hormonal contraceptives in the United States: impact of study population.

Objective: To examine the impact of subject characteristics on efficacy as measured by the Pearl Index (PI) in clinical trials and to make study populations similar by matching.

Methods: Our analysis used US data from four large Phase III studies. We compared results from one fertility control patch study with pooled data from three studies with virtually identical design on oral hormonal contraceptives.

Women's awareness and periconceptional use of folic acid: data from a large European survey.

Objective: To investigate the awareness and use of folic acid in European women of child-bearing age, particularly in the setting of pregnancy and pregnancy planning.

Methods: Between November 2009 and December 2009, women aged 15-49 years old from 18 European countries completed a 30-minute structured questionnaire either online or via face-to-face interviews. To achieve nationally representative samples for each country quotas were set for age, education, income, and regional distribution.