A new type of oral contraceptive

Abstract

Clinical trials of a new oral contraceptive, volidan (4 mg. megestrol acetate + 0.05 mg. EE), have been carried out under the auspices of the Council for the Investigation of Fertility Control. Megestrol acetate proved to be effective in doses of 2 mg. and upwards and there were no pregnancies in 183 patients receiving medication for 1,457 cycles where the tablets were taken as instructed. Although previous laboratory and clinical tests suggested that 2 mg. megestrol acetate + 0.05 EE would be an adequate dose—and it was indeed effective—this did not produce good enough cycle control optimum cycle control was obtained with 4 mg. megestrol acetate + 0.05 mg. EE, which is to be made available commercially as volidan. Cycle control with this dosage was excellent, with an incidence of breakthrough bleeding of 6% over all cycles and of 1 % amenorrhoea, with a small decrease in menstrual flow in 55% of patients. The incidence of nausea in the first cycle was only 7%. Volidan differs from the earlier 19-nor steroid oral contraceptives which possess inherent oestrogenic activity in that it produces a more normal type of endometrium and does not depress the vaginal cornification index so much. © 1963, British Medical Journal Publishing Group. All rights reserved.