Comparative study of the effects of a progestogen-only pill containing desogestrel and an intrauterine contraceptive device in lactating women

Comparing the effects of low-dose contraceptive pills to control dysfunctional uterine bleeding by oral and vaginal methods

Background and Objective: Contraceptive pills are generally taken orally and can cause side effects such as nausea, vomiting and hypertension. The vaginal use of these pills can reduce such complications. Our objective was to compare the efficacy and side effects of low dose contraceptive pills by oral and vaginal route in the management of dysfunctional uterine bleeding-(DUB)

Methods: This comparative observational study was conducted at Beheshti and Alzahra (SA) teaching hospitals, affiliated to Isfahan University of Medical Sciences in 2010-2011. One hundred women who presented with DUB were randomly assigned into two groups of equal number, receiving the low dose oral contraceptive pills by oral or vaginal route for three month. The amount and duration of bleeding were compared at the beginning and at the end of the study and side effects by these two methods compared.

Results: The results of this study showed that both oral and vaginal routes effectively reduced the duration and amount of bleeding due to DUB after three courses of treatment. This effect was better in the vaginal method compared with oral administration (P = 0.03). Regarding the side effects, nausea and vomiting were significantly higher in the oral group than in the vaginal group (P = 0.03). Vulvovaginitis infection was more frequent in the vaginal group than in the oral group (P = 0.03).

Conclusion: Low dose contraceptive pills are effective in reducing the amount, time, and duration of bleeding in patients with DUB. In addition, reduction of gastrointestinal side effects by vaginal route helps to use these pills by the patient with proper training of physicians, midwives and patients.

Intrauterine contraception after cesarean section and during lactation: a systematic review

BACKGROUND

All postpartum women, including those who are breastfeeding or have had a cesarean section, appear potentially suited to intrauterine contraception, a long acting reversible contraceptive (LARC). Like any other method used after delivery, it should not interfere with lactation or be affected by cesarean section.

STUDY DESIGN

We searched the MEDLINE, PubMed, Popline, Google Scholar, and Clinicaltrials.gov databases from January 1968 through to December 2012. Studies were included if they reported event rates in women who had a cesarean section and event rates and clinical outcomes in lactating women or their infants in the breastfeeding group. Summary odds ratios were not calculated because of the diverse methods of reporting event rates in the cesarean section group and the heterogeneity of the results in the breastfeeding group.

RESULTS

We found 26 articles on event rates in interval and post-placental intrauterine device (IUD) use, and 18 on event rates and clinical outcomes in breastfeeding IUD users. Four prospective studies and one retrospective study showed an increased expulsion rate in interval insertion. There were 19 studies, of which five were controlled in post-placental IUD insertion after cesarean section. Four studies had expulsion rates of 10 or more per 100 woman-years of use and 15 expulsion rates below 10 per 100 woman-years of use. Three studies showed that event rates for lactating IUD users are the same as those for non-lactating users. Fifteen controlled studies showed that the IUD had no effect on milk production and seven of these showed no effect on infant growth. Pharmacovigilance databases report an increased rate of IUD perforations in lactating women, while the event rate studies report that insertion is generally easier and less painful than expected. These were uncontrolled reports.

CONCLUSION

The IUD is a long-acting reversible method of contraception with expulsion rates of 5-15 per 100 woman-years of use when used as a post-placental method immediately after cesarean section. As an interval procedure (6 or more weeks after cesarean section) it appears to have a high expulsion rate (5% or higher) notably in older devices. The IUD does not affect breastfeeding and is easy to insert in these women, but appears to be associated with a higher perforation rate (>1 per 100). Providers should not be deterred from using this contraception method, especially in developing countries, but should be attentive to preventing these potential problems.

Randomized, Crossover and Single-Dose Bioquivalence Study of Two Oral Desogestrel Formulations (Film-Coated Tablets of 75 μg) in Healthy Female Volunteers

Despite the increase in the substitution of branded medicinal product with generic drugs, this is a controversial issue for some pharmacological groups (such as contraceptives).

The aim of the present clinical trial was to assess the bioequivalence and tolerability of two oral formulations of desogestrel.

Thirty-three healthy female volunteers participated in this randomized and two-way crossover study. During two separate experimental periods, with at least four weeks of washout period, women received a single oral dose of 75 μg of desogestrel from each of the formulations (test formulation and reference formulation). Desogestrel bioavailability was determined by the measurement of 3-ketodesogestrel plasma concentration.

Pharmacokinetic parameters were comparable and the 90% CI for the ratio of C_max (96.14–114.53%) and AUC_0–t (105.73–123.83%) values for the test and reference formulations fell within the established regulatory interval (80–125%). Both formulations were also comparable in terms of tolerability.

From the results of this study it can be concluded that test formulation (desogestrel 75 μg, Cyndea PHARMA S.L.) is bioequivalent to the reference formulation (Cerazet® 75 μg, Organon Española S.A.).

[Rationalizing progestin-only contraception (except IUS with levonorgestrel)]

Using pure progestin contraception has four main objectives; all pure progestins on the market do not satisfy these four main objectives: (i) not to give artificial estrogens like ethinyl estradiol or any kind of estrogens at high doses. This is necessary when there is an estrogeno-dependent pathology; (ii) to diminish endogen estrogen circulating levels by using anti-gonadotrope progestins; (iii) not to induce dangerous proteins synthesis by a too important estrogenic hepatic impact due to an effect, known as hepatic passage. This is required in case of metabolic pathologies or more largely, in case of important vascular risk factors or also in case of an estrogen-dependent hepatopathy; to diminish hormonal fluctuations for women who have problems due to varying endogen hormones. Knowing each product's pharmacology enables to choose the product best adapted to each clinical situation. When choosing, one has to take into account the contraceptive efficiency, as well as the fact that those products are often given over long periods of time to women with particular pathologies.