Wall Street Journal Examines Birth Control Pill Lybrel That Stops Periods

Main Category: Sexual Health / STDs
Also Included In: Women's Health / Gynecology
Article Date: 25 May 2006 - 13:00 PDT

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The Wall Street Journal on Wednesday examined Wyeth's birth control pill Lybrel, which can eliminate women's monthly periods (Loftus, Wall Street Journal, 5/24). The usual regimen for oral contraceptives is 21 active pills taken consecutively, followed by seven placebo pills (Kaiser Daily Women's Health Policy Report, 5/15). During the week of placebo pills, women bleed and experience other menstrual symptoms. The period women experience during the week of placebo pills is a "withdrawal bleed," which "isn't entirely the same as" normal menstrual bleeding, the Journal reports. Lybrel, which contains a lower dose of synthetic hormones in a daily dose than traditional oral contraceptives, is taken 365 days a year with no placebo pills. According to Wyeth, Lybrel stopped 71% of women's bleeding after seven months. One study shows that almost all women who took the drug began experiencing their periods within three months of terminating its use. Wyeth, which has applied for FDA approval of Lybrel, expects the agency to make a decision by late June.

Benefits, Challenges
"The reason most traditional oral contraceptives have [placebo-pill] periods during which bleeding occurs was to increase women's comfort levels with taking something they might otherwise view as an unnatural disturbance of menstrual cycles," according to the Journal. But, "[t]here's no real medical need to have the withdrawal bleed at all," Paula Amato, a gynecologist and professor at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, said, adding that there are advantages to eliminating the withdrawal bleed, such as reducing pain, headaches, moodiness and bloating. Women without periods also could improve their productivity at work and would not have to purchase feminine products, which could save them money, she said. Women's perceptions of Lybrel still could pose challenges to Wyeth, according to the company. Some women might think that not having a period is "unnatural," be concerned that daily doses of hormones could harm their health or worry that they will not be able to menstruate normally or become pregnant after taking the drug, according to the Journal. "There are some women who feel they need to have a period," Ginger Constantine, vice president of Wyeth's pharmaceutical unit of women's health care and bone repair, said. However, Lybrel is no less "natural" than other oral contraceptive pills and has similar risks, including blood clot, stroke and heart attack, she added (Wall Street Journal, 5/24).

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