The emerging use of the 20-μg oral contraceptive

Objective: To highlight studies that investigated the efficacy, safety, and tolerability of low-dose oral contraceptives (OCs) containing 20 mug of ethinyl estradiol (EE) and to discuss the use of these low-dose contraceptives in women from adolescence to menopause and the noncontraceptive health benefits likely to be afforded by low-dose contraceptives. Design: Relevant literature was identified by searching MEDLINE and EMBASE. Other sources were located by consulting the bibliographies of the material collected from Medline and EMBASE. Sources for additional information included documents from the United States Food and Drug Administration and the Physicians' Desk Reference (54th ed.). Conclusion(s): The current lowest available dose of EE used for OCs in the United States is 20 mug. Formulations with 20 mug of EE are efficacious and have a low incidence of estrogen-related side effects. Since this lowest effective EE dose inhibits ovarian activity, 20 mug of EE should also provide the noncontraceptive health benefits of OCs. Both contraceptive and noncontraceptive benefits of OCs are available to most women from adolescence to menopause without complications. (C) 2001 by American Society for Reproductive Medicine.