Comparison of cycle control with a combined contraceptive vaginal ring and oral levonorgestrel/ethinyl estradiol

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to compare cycle control and tolerability of the NuvaRing (NV Organon, Oss, The Netherlands), a novel combined contraceptive vaginal ring, with a standard combined oral contraceptive pill. STUDY DESIGN: Healthy women aged 18 to 40 years who requested contraception received either NuvaRing or a combined oral contraceptive containing 30 mug ethinyl estradiol and 150 mug levonorgestrel for 6 cycles in 3 similarly designed studies. Each cycle comprised 3 weeks of ring or pill use, followed by 1 ring- or pill-free week. RESULTS: Two hundred forty-seven women began the studies, 121 women with NuvaRing and 126 women with the combined oral contraceptive. Withdrawal bleeding occurred in virtually all cycles in both groups, In the NuvaRing groups, the incidence of irregular bleeding was less than or equal to5% in all cycles; this was lower than the combined oral contraceptive groups (5.4%-38.8%). Furthermore, the incidence of a normal intended bleeding pattern was significantly higher in the NuvaRing groups than in the combined oral contraceptive groups (P < .01). Both contraceptives were well tolerated. CONCLUSION: NuvaRing has excellent cycle control and is well tolerated.