The role of triphasic levonorgestrel in oral contraception: a review of metabolic and hemostatic effects.

Epidemiological studies suggesting a possible association between the use of combined oral contraceptives and an increased risk of cardiovascular disease have led to extensive investigations into the effect of oral contraceptives on lipid and carbohydrate metabolism, and on hemostasis. Since this association was originally suggested, the steroid dose in oral contraceptives has been significantly reduced and new progestogens have been developed. Also, triphasic formulations have been introduced which offer a well-balanced estrogen/progestogen ratio, allowing a further reduction in the progestogen dose per cycle, and thus helping to minimize unwanted metabolic and hemostatic effects.

Inhibition of ovulation by a triphasic gestodene-containing oral contraceptive.

The minimal effective dose of gestodene for inhibition of ovulation was studied in 30 female volunteers. Daily doses of 10 micrograms to 50 micrograms gestodene were given orally for 21 days. A control cycle prior to treatment and a treatment cycle were monitored for LH, FSH, estradiol, progesterone and cervical score.

[New approaches to interception--postcoital use of a gestagen/estrogen combination].

Postcoital application of high doses of ethenyloestradiol (EE) over a period of 5-6 days can, in the majority of cases, prevent pregnancy if therapy is initiated early enough (failure rate 1%), but such doses are attended by a high rate of side effects. Yuzpe et al. have tested an alternative formulation for interception: in a series of studies conducted in Canada and USA they administered a total dose of only 0.

[Progress in oral contraception. Advantages of a levonorgestrel-containing 3-stage preparation over low-dose levonorgestrel and desogestrel containing monophasic combination preparations].

The three-phase preparation, which contains levonorgestrel, has a number of advantages compared to the traditional monophase combination preparations. With the same contraceptive reliability its cycle stability is very much better than the monophase preparations, which are 40% high dosed in the progestin proportion (levonorgestrel and desogestrel). The dose relations of the new preparation agree with the most recent scientific knowledge on the metabolism aspects of hormonal contraceptives.