Can my combined oral contraceptive pill withdrawal bleed be planned to
avoid weekends?
If a pill packet is commenced on a Sunday, the withdrawal bleed should occur on weekdays. When starting the combined oral contraceptive pill for the first time, if you delay to the next Sunday rather than commence on the first day of the period, additional contraception is required for the first seven days. For those on monophasic pills (Table 16.1) who wish to convert to a Sunday start, it is probably best to take two packets back-to-back and then finish the second packet on the Saturday. The third packet is commenced on the following Sunday. The other option would be to continue taking the combined oral contraceptive pill from a spare pack until the next Sunday. This spare packet can be kept in reserve for similar cycle adjustments when required.
Table 16. 1 Monophasic combined oral contraceptive pills:
|
Preparation |
Ethinyl Oestradiol (mg) |
mg / Progestogen |
Manufacturer |
| Loestrin 20 | 20 | 1 norethisterone acetate | Parke Davis |
| Loestrin 30 | 30 | 1.5 norethisterone acetate | Parke Davis |
| Brevinor? Ovysmen |
35 35 |
0.5 norethisterone 0.5 norethisterone |
Searle Jannsen-Cilag |
| Norimin | 35 | 1 norethisterone | Searle |
|
Norinyl -1 Ortho-Novin 1/50 |
50 (mestranol) | 1 norethisterone | Searle Janssen-Cilag |
|
Microgynon 30 Ovranette? |
30 30 |
levonorgestrel 0.15 levonorgestrel |
Schering Wyeth |
|
Eugynon ? 30 Ovran 30 |
30 30 |
levonorgestrel 0.25 levonorgestrel |
Schering Wyeth |
| Ovran | 50 | 0.25 levonorgestrel | Wyeth |
| Cilest | 35 | 0.25 norgestimate | Janssen-Cilag |
| 3rd GENERATION: | |||
| Mercilon | 20 | 0.15 desogestrel | Organon |
| Marvelon | 30 | 0.15 desogestrel | Organon |
| Femodene Minulet |
30 30 |
0.075 gestodene 0.075 |
Schering Wyeth |
| Femodette | 20 | 0.075 | Schering |
| Yasmin?
Evra Patch |
30 | 3 drospirenone | Schering
Janssen-Cilag |
Table 16. 2 Phasic combined oral contraceptive pills:
|
Preparation |
Ethinyl Oestradiol (mg) |
mg / Progestogen |
Manufacturer |
|
Binovum |
35 |
0.5/1 norethisterone |
Janssen-Cilag |
|
Trinovum |
35 |
0.5/0.75/1 norethisterone |
Janssen-Cilag |
|
Synphase |
35 |
0.5/1/0.5 norethisterone |
Searle |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Logynon Trinordiol |
30/40/30 30/40/30 |
0.05/0.075/0.125 levonorgestrel 0.05/0.075/0.125 levonorgestrel |
Schering Wyeth |
|
|
|
3rd GENERATION |
|
|
Triadene |
30/40/30 |
0.05/0.07/0.1 gestodene |
Schering |
|
Tri-Minulet |
30/40/30 |
0.05/0.07/0.1 gestodene |
Wyeth |
