[Clinical study of a low dose estrogen-progestagen combination. 3 years experience 490 patients - 5600 cycles]

490 women who used Stediril (.5 mg norgestrel and .05 mg ethinyl estradiol combined) for a total of 5600 cycles or 466 woman-years over a 3 year period are presented. They all took the pills primairly for contraception; most were 20-30 years old and took Stediril 3-6 months. Some other indications were 119 cases of menstrual irregularity 15 of spaniomenorrhea 14 of premenstrual syndrome and 3 of acne all relieved. 46 of 50 cases of menorrhagia 83 of 89 of dysmenorrhea and 32 of 34 with pelvic pain were relieved. Withdrawal bleeding was usually less than before and tended to diminish with time. There were 46 women with nausea 3 of whom stopped Stediril. Migraines sometimes a ppeared sometimes disappeared but often occurred regularly on the first day between pill cycles. 52 women complained of breast congestion for the first time. Weight rose in 2301 fell in 98 and stayed constant in 134 after 3 months: weight was easily controlled with diet and appetite supressant drugs. No hypertension was observed. There were 19 single cycles of amenorrhea several cases of persistant amenorrhea and 4 cases of amenorrhea after stopping. 2-3% of cycles were marked by metrorrhagia; 63 women had spotting 8 had significant metrorrhagia; 7 had metrorrhagia followed by withdrawal bleeding in that cycle. 1 woman had a thromboembolism of the left leg after 2 pill cycles during which she gained 3 kg. There was 1 pregnancy due to irregular pill use.