Progestogens and estrogens, fixed combinations

Errin

Approved 21 Oct 2002OralTablet

Indications

1. Indications Progestin-only oral contraceptives are indicated for the prevention of pregnancy. 2. Efficacy If used perfectly, the first-year failure rate for progestin-only oral contraceptives is 0.3%. However, the typical failure rate is estimated to be closer to 9%, due to late or omitted pills. Table 1 lists the pregnancy rates for users of all major methods of contraception. Table 1: Percentage of Women Experiencing an Unintended Pregnancy During the First Year of Typical Use and the First Year of Perfect Use of Contraception and the Percentage Continuing Use at the End of the First Year.

United States. % of Women Experiencing an Unintended Pregnancy within the First Year of Use % of Women Continuing Use at One Year Among couples attempting to avoid pregnancy, the percentage who continue to use a method for 1 year. Method (1) Typical Use Among typical couples who initiate use of a method (not necessarily for the first time), the percentage who experience an accidental pregnancy during the first year if they do not stop use for any other reason.

Estimates of the probability of pregnancy during the first year of typical use for spermicides, withdrawal, fertility awareness-based methods, the diaphragm, the male condom, the oral contraceptive pill, and Depo-Provera are taken from the 1995 National Survey of Family Growth corrected for underreporting of abortion; see the text for the derivation of estimates for the other methods. (2) Perfect Use Among couples who initiate use of a method (not necessarily for the first time) and who use it perfectly (both consistently and correctly), the percentage who experience an accidental pregnancy during the first year if they do not stop use for any other reason.

See the text for the derivation of the estimate for each method. (3) (4) Emergency Contraception: Emergency contraceptive pills or insertion of a copper intrauterine contraceptive after unprotected intercourse substantially reduces the risk of pregnancy. ella, Plan B One-Step and Next Choice are the only dedicated products specifically marketed for emergency contraception. The label for Plan B One-Step (one dose is 1 white pill) says to take the pill within 72 hours after unprotected intercourse.

Research has shown that all of the brands listed here are effective when used within 120 hours after unprotected sex. The label for Next Choice (one dose is 1 peach pill) says to take 1 pill within 72 hours after unprotected intercourse and another pill 12 hours later. Research has shown that both pills can be taken at the same time with no decrease in efficacy or increase in side effects and that they are effective when used within 120 hours after unprotected sex.

Warnings and precautions

Cigarette smoking increases the risk of serious cardiovascular disease. Women who use oral contraceptives should be strongly advised not to smoke. Errin ® does not contain estrogen and, therefore, this insert does not discuss the serious health risks that have been associated with the estrogen component of combined oral contraceptives (COCs). The healthcare professional is referred to the prescribing information of combined oral contraceptives for a discussion of those risks.

The relationship between progestin-only oral contraceptives and these risks is not fully defined. The healthcare professional should remain alert to the earliest manifestation of symptoms of any serious disease and discontinue oral contraceptive therapy when appropriate. 1. Ectopic Pregnancy The incidence of ectopic pregnancies for progestin-only oral contraceptive users is 5 per 1000 woman-years. Up to 10% of pregnancies reported in clinical studies of progestin-only oral contraceptive users are extrauterine.

Although symptoms of ectopic pregnancy should be watched for, a history of ectopic pregnancy need not be considered a contraindication to use of this contraceptive method. Healthcare professionals should be alert to the possibility of an ectopic pregnancy in women who become pregnant or complain of lower abdominal pain while on progestin-only oral contraceptives. 2. Delayed Follicular Atresia/Ovarian Cysts If follicular development occurs, atresia of the follicle is sometimes delayed and the follicle may continue to grow beyond the size it would attain in a normal cycle.

Generally these enlarged follicles disappear spontaneously. Often they are asymptomatic; in some cases they are associated with mild abdominal pain. Rarely they may twist or rupture, requiring surgical intervention. 3. Irregular Genital Bleeding Irregular menstrual patterns are common among women using progestin-only oral contraceptives. If genital bleeding is suggestive of infection, malignancy or other abnormal conditions, such nonpharmacologic causes should be ruled out.

If prolonged amenorrhea occurs, the possibility of pregnancy should be evaluated. 4. Carcinoma of the Breast and Reproductive Organs Some epidemiological studies of oral contraceptive users have reported an increased relative risk of developing breast cancer, particularly at a younger age and apparently related to duration of use. These studies have predominantly involved combined oral contraceptives and there is insufficient data to determine whether the use of POPs similarly increases the risk.

A meta-analysis of 54 studies found a small increase in the frequency of having breast cancer diagnosed for women who were currently using combined oral contraceptives or had used them within the past ten years. This increase in the frequency of breast cancer diagnosis, within ten years of stopping use, was generally accounted for by cancers localized to the breast. There was no increase in the frequency of having breast cancer diagnosed ten or more years after cessation of use.

Women with breast cancer should not use oral contraceptives because the role of female hormones in breast cancer has not been fully determined. Some studies suggest that oral contraceptive use has been associated with an increase in the risk of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia in some populations of women. However, there continues to be controversy about the extent to which such findings may be due to differences in sexual behavior and other factors.

There is insufficient data to determine whether the use of POPs increases the risk of developing cervical intraepithelial neoplasia. 5. Hepatic Neoplasia Benign hepatic adenomas are associated with combined oral contraceptive use, although the incidence of benign tumors is rare in the United States. Rupture of benign, hepatic adenomas may cause death through intra-abdominal hemorrhage. Studies have shown an increased risk of developing hepatocellular carcinoma in combined oral contraceptive users.

However, these cancers are rare in the U.S. There is insufficient data to determine whether POPs increase the risk of developing hepatic neoplasia.

Interactions

4. Drug Interactions Consult the labeling of concurrently-used drugs to obtain further information about interactions with hormonal contraceptives or the potential for enzyme alterations.

Effect of Other Drugs on Hormonal Contraceptives Substances decreasing the systemic concentrations of hormonal contraceptives (HCs) and potentially diminishing the efficacy of HCs Drugs or herbal products that induce certain enzymes, including cytochrome P450 3A4 (CYP3A4), may decrease the systemic concentrations of HCs and potentially diminish the effectiveness of HCs or increase breakthrough bleeding. Some drugs or herbal products that may decrease the effectiveness of HCs include efavirenz, phenytoin, barbiturates, carbamazepine, bosentan, felbamate, griseofulvin, oxcarbazepine, rifampicin, rifabutin, rufinamide, aprepitant, and products containing St. John's wort. Interactions between HCs and other drugs may lead to breakthrough bleeding and/or contraceptive failure. Counsel women to use an alternative non-hormonal method of contraception or a back-up method when enzyme inducers are used with HCs, and to continue back-up non-hormonal contraception for 28 days after discontinuing the enzyme inducer to ensure contraceptive reliability. Substances increasing the systemic concentrations of HCs Co-administration of certain HCs and strong or moderate CYP3A4 inhibitors such as itraconazole, voriconazole, fluconazole, grapefruit juice, or ketoconazole may increase the systemic concentrations of progestins, including norethindrone. Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)/Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) protease inhibitors and nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors Significant decreases in systemic concentrations of progestin have been noted in cases of co-administration with some HIV protease inhibitors (e.g., nelfinavir, ritonavir, darunavir/ritonavir, (fos)amprenavir/ritonavir, lopinavir/ritonavir, and tipranavir/ritonavir), some HCV protease inhibitors (e.g., boceprevir and telaprevir), and some non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (e.g., nevirapine, efavirenz). In contrast, significant increases in systemic exposure of the progestin have been noted in cases of co-administration with certain other HIV protease inhibitors (e.g., indinavir and atazanavir/ritonavir) and with other non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (e.g., etravirine). These changes may be clinically relevant in some cases. Consult the prescribing information of anti-viral and anti-retroviral concomitant medications to identify potential interactions.
Effects of Hormonal Contraceptives on Other Drugs Hormonal contraceptives may affect the metabolism of other drugs. Consequently, systemic concentrations may either increase (for example, cyclosporine) or decrease. Consult the labeling of all concurrently-used drugs to obtain further information about interactions with hormonal contraceptives or the potential for enzyme alterations.
Interactions between ulipristal and hormonal contraceptives Effectiveness of progestin-containing hormonal contraceptives and emergency contraceptive ulipristal acetate may be decreased if progestin-containing hormonal contraceptives are used within five days after ulipristal acetate dosing. Therefore, if a woman wishes to use Errin ® after using ulipristal acetate, she should do so no sooner than 5 days after the intake of ulipristal acetate and she should use a reliable barrier method for subsequent acts of intercourse until her next menstrual period.

Errin

Indications

Two medicines in one question?

Contraindications

Warnings and precautions

Interactions

Pregnancy and breastfeeding

Adverse reactions

Composition

Official product information

At a glance

Guidelines