RANDOMIZED DOUBLE-BLIND TRIAL OF 2 LOW-DOSE COMBINED ORAL-CONTRACEPTIVES

Fifty‐five women using Loestrin‐20 (20 μg ethinyl oestradiol and 1 mg norethisterone acetate) as an oral contraceptive have been compared with a like number using Microgynon‐30 (30 μg ethinyl oestradiol and 150 μg levonorgestrel) in a randomized, double‐blind trial. Despite the small sample size, the main finding in the trial is clear‐cut; Loestrin‐20 provides poor cycle control and is thus less acceptable as an oral contraceptive than Microgynon‐30. Although there is also a suggestion that Loestrin‐20 may be less effective than Microgynon‐30, the difference in the accidental pregnancy rates is not statistically significant. Copyright © 1979, Wiley Blackwell. All rights reserved