The Health Blog

The FDA has recently approved Lybrel, the first low-dose contraceptive pill that gives women an option to stop their menstrual cycle for an indefinite period of time.

About Lybrel:
It is the newest form of birth control approved by the FDA. The drug is developed by Wyeth Pharmaceuticals, which contains 90 micrograms of levonorgestrel and 20 micrograms of ethinyl estradiol, a combination similar to that found in other low-dose oral contraceptives.

It differs, however, with other contraceptive pills because it replaces the four- to seven-day placebo pill with continuous daily dosing for nonstop birth control with no menstrual periods.

Effects:
1. It has caused bleeding or spotting on some of the subjects in the clinical trials.
2. The pill shuts down your normal hormone production and replaces it with a very tiny amount, so there is no buildup of the uterine lining. Without a lining, there is no shedding, so the bleeding that occurs when you stop the pill is a “withdrawal bleed caused by a drop in

The trials showed Lybrel to be a safe and effective contraceptive when used as directed. However, large trials are to be performed to prove the long term safety of taking the pill.

Source: WebMD