Continuous Use – the Important Trend of Combined Hormonal Contraception

Overview

Objective:
Review of literature concerning continuous regimen of combined hormonal contraception.

Design:
Review article.

Setting:
Department of Obstetrics and gynecology, Charles University, Prague.

Methods:
Review and critical assessment of published data.

Conclusions:
Attitude of gynecologists and women toward continuous use of combined hormonal contraception was liberalized within the last 15 years. Continuous regimen is well tolerated; number of spotting and bleeding days is increased in the first two cycles, with a substantial decrease afterwards. Total number of bleeding days is significantly lower in comparison to cyclic regimen. Continual use is not accompanied by any known health risk for users. Moreover, there are a few medical indications for such regimen.

Key words:
combined oral contraceptives; continuous regimen, prolonged use, extended regimen