Le wi a On ae pee e nd anPH re on v1 ancl oe sa ‘ade cach “anho hove ao ft "eeiy il it 4 bea an rang ey Ss eM eiA Tes. jaih ‘wn | Na a amd a ot of a newind ‘oy macy wae a *na New, Low-Dose Pill Provides Highly Effective Contraception With Excellent Cycle Control and Side Effect Profile (NAPSA)—Birth control pills are not one size fits all. For the pregnancies occur each yearin the United States according to a 1995 study published in the Journal of Reproductive Medicine. Estrogen and progestin work together to prevent ovulation and support the endometrium (the lining of a woman’s uterus) to provide cycle control and minimize breakthrough bleeding and spotting. Research has shown that these effects may occur more than 16 million women who use the Pill, finding the right combination of hormones that offers effective contraception, with low rates of nuisance side effects, may be frustrating. Since the Pill was introduced in the 1960s, the trend has been to lower the levels of estrogen and progestin—the hor- mones used in birth control pills— without compromising contraceptive protection or tolerability. Today, some pills contain as little as 20 micrograms (mcg) of estrogen, however, these may not provide desired cycle control, or menstrual regularity. Menstrual regularity, for some patients, is an expectation when taking a combination birth control pill. However, not all pills offer this benefit to the same degree and some women experience unexpected bleeding (breakthrough bleeding or spotting) between periods. Now, women andtheir doctors or healthcare professionals have a new option amongbirth control pills— one that offers a combination of hormones to provide excellent cycle control, tolerability and efficacy. ORTHO TRI-CYCLEN LO (norgestimate/ethinyl estradiol) Tablets are now available by prescription. Recently approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), ORTHO TRI-CYCLEN LOcontains 25 meg of estrogen and the progestin, norgestimate. Like other combination birth control pills, ORTHO TRI-CYCLENLOis highly effective whentakencorrectly. ORTHO TRI-CYCLEN LO is from the maker of ORTHO TRI-CYCLEN (norgestimate/ ethinyl estradiol) Tablets, the more frequently in somepills con- nation’s #1 prescribed birth control pill and the first to be FDA approved to improve moderate acne and help maintain clearer skin. “ORTHO TRI-CYCLEN LO offers a new degree of choice for women who use oral contraceptives,” said Ronald T. Burkman, M.D., Baystate Medical Center, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Springfield, Mass. “With norgestimate and 25 micrograms of estrogen, ORTHO TRI-CYCLEN LO offers effective contraception and excellent cycle control. This new option is important to me because manyof my patients report breakthrough bleeding and spotting as the primary reason for discontinuing their pill use.” Almost 50 percent of women who stop using the Pill do so because of side effects often related to the dose and type of hormones in the Pill. Breakthrough bleeding is the number one reason women stop taking the Pill. Many women whostop taking the Pill often use a less reliable method of birth control or no methodat all, which can result in an unplanned pregnancy. Among those who discontinue the Pill, more than 600,000 unintended taining 20 meg of estrogen. ORTHO TRI-CYCLEN LO contains a combination of hormones that provides effective contraception, cycle control and tolerability. While most combination oral contraceptives contain the same estrogen component, ethinyl estradiol, only ORTHO TRI-CYCLEN LO, ORTHO TRI-CYCLEN and ORTHO-CYCLEN (norgestimate/ ethinyl estradiol) Tablets contain norgestimate, a progestin with more than 10 years of proven clinical performance. The combination of ethinyl estradiol and norgestimate is associated with low rates of weight gain, acne and facial hair growth. ORTHO TRI-CYCLENLOis a triphasic birth control pill that pro- vides a daily dose of 25 mcg of estrogen for 21 days and three different doses of norgestimate (180 mcg daily/days 1-7; 215 meg daily/days 8-14; 250 mcg daily/days 15-21). The last seven days contain no active ingredients. ORTHO TRI-CYCLEN LO can be used with the ORTHO PERSONAL PAK” Tablet Dispensers, the only collection of fashionably discreet birth control pill packaging. Women may choose from six designs, including two, limitededition compacts created by fashion designer Nicole Miller. ORTHO TRI-CYCLEN LO, ORTHO TRI-CYCLEN and ORTHO-CYCLEN are indicated for the prevention of pregnancy in women whoelect to use oral contraceptives as a method of contraception. ORTHO TRI-CYCLENcan be a good choice for women 15 or over with mild to moderate acne, who have reached menstruation, are seeking contraception, have no known contraindications to birth control pills, and are unresponsive to topical acne medication. Oral contraceptives are not for everybody. Most side effects of the Pill are not serious and those that are, occur infrequently. Serious risks, which can be life threatening, include blood clots, stroke, and heart attacks, and are increased if you smokecigarettes. Cigarette smoking increases the risk of serious cardiovascular side effects, especially if you’re over 35. Women whouse oral contraceptives are strongly advised not to smoke. Some studies have reported an increase in the risk of developing breast cancer among women who use oral contraceptives. However, the majority of studies have found no overall increase in this risk. You should talk to your doctor or health care professional about how this risk relates to your use of the Pill. Some women should not use the Pill, including women who have blood clots, certain cancers, a history of heart attack or stroke, as well as those who are or may be pregnant. The Pill does not protect against HIV or sexually transmitted diseases. For more information visit www.orthotri-cyclenlo.com, www.orthotri-cyclen.com or www.ortho-meneil.com.
