Comparative study on the acceptability of two modern monophasic oral contraceptive preparations: 30 mu g ethinyl estradiol combined with 150 mu g desogestrel or 75 mu g gestodene

Cycle control and tolerability of two monophasic oral contraceptive pills c ontaining 30 mu g ethinyl estradiol (EE) with either 150 mu g desogestrel ( DSG) or 75 mu g gestodene (GSD) were compared in women starting oral contra ception. A minimum of 200 healthy women at risk for pregnancy were to be treated for a total of 6 cycles per patient in a prospective, randomized open parallel -group multicenter trial. Two hundred and forty-one subjects were randomized, 115 to DSG/EE and 126 t o GSD/EE. Compliance to the study preparation was high (around 95%) in both groups and no pregnancies occurred during the study. Cycle control was exc ellent; there were no differences between the two groups with regard to inc idence of spotting and breakthrough bleeding or duration and intensity of w ithdrawal bleeding. Side-effects were mild and in general comparable in the two groups. Both at baseline and during treatment, a higher proportion of women taking GSD/EE complained about breast tenderness. This resulted in mo re early withdrawals because of breast tenderness in the GSD/EE group. It was concluded that monophasic DSG/EE and GSD/EE are equally effective, h ave similar cycle control and both are generally well tolerated.