The oral contraceptive pill (OCP) is the most commonly used method of contraception and may also be prescribed for a range of other indications.
The combined oral contraceptive pill (COCP), containing both oestrogen and progestogen is highly effective but may be associated with a range of adverse effects. The traditional progestogen only pill (POP) is generally associated with fewer adverse effects but the window of opportunity for taking a missed pill is shorter than for the COCP (3 hour versus 24 hours). The new POP formulation, drospirenone, has a 24 hour window for taking a missed pill and has shown efficacy while being associated with minimal adverse effects.
Most women in Australia access contraception via their GPs. As such, GPs have an important role to play in providing patients with information about the available contraceptive options, while individualising prescriptions appropriately and providing guidance to optimise OCP efficacy.
This educational activity was developed by MDBriefCase at the request, and with funding from Besins.