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ALESSE 28
Active Ingredients
Inctive Ingredients
n/a
Usage

Oral contraceptives are indicated for the prevention of pregnancy in women who elect to use this product as a method of contraception.

Oral contraceptives are highly effective. Table II lists the typical accidental pregnancy rates for users of combination oral contraceptives and other methods of contraception. The efficacy of these contraceptive methods, except sterilization, the IUD, and Norplant® System, depends upon the reliability with which they are used. Correct and consistent use of methods can result in lower failure rates.

Table II: 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 3
Method Typical Use 1Perfect Use 2
(1) (2) (3) (4)

Lactation Amenorrhea Method: LAM is a highly effective, temporary method of contraception.9

Source: Trussell J. Contraceptive efficacy. In: Hatcher RA, Trussell J, Stewart F, Cates W,

Stewart GK, Kowel D, Guest F. Contraceptive Technology: Seventeenth Revised Edition.

New York NY: Irvington Publishers; 1998.

  • 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.
  • 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.
  • Among couples attempting to avoid pregnancy, the percentage who continue to use a method for one year.
  • The percents becoming pregnant in columns (2) and (3) are based on data from populations where contraception is not used and from women who cease using contraception in order to become pregnant. Among such populations, about 89% become pregnant within one year. This estimate was lowered slightly (to 85%) to represent the percent who would become pregnant within one year among women now relying on reversible methods of contraception if they abandoned contraception altogether.
  • Foams, creams, gels, vaginal suppositories, and vaginal film.
  • Cervical mucus (ovulation) method supplemented by calendar in the pre-ovulatory and basal body temperature in the post-ovulatory phases.
  • With spermicidal cream or jelly.
  • Without spermicides.
  • However, to maintain effective protection against pregnancy, another method of contraception must be used as soon as menstruation resumes, the frequency or duration of breastfeeds is reduced, bottle feeds are introduced, or the baby reaches 6 months of age.
Chance 485 85
Spermicides 526 6 40
Periodic abstinence 25 63
   Calendar 9
   Ovulation Method 3
   Sympto-Thermal 62
   Post-Ovulation 1
Cap 7
   Parous Women 40 26 42
   Nulliparous Women 20 9 56
Sponge
   Parous Women 40 20 42
   Nulliparous Women 20 9 56
Diaphragm 720 6 56
Withdrawal 19 4
Condom 8
   Female (Reality) 21 5 56
   Male 14 3 61
Pill 5 71
   Progestin only 0.5
   Combined 0.1
IUD
   Progesterone T 2.0 1.5 81
   Copper T380A 0.8 0.6 78
   LNg 20 0.1 0.1 81
Depo-Provera®0.3 0.3 70
Levonorgestrel

Implants (Norplant®) 		0.05 0.05 88
Female Sterilization 0.5 0.5 100
Male Sterilization 0.15 0.10 100

In a clinical trial with Alesse, (levonorgestrel and ethinyl estradiol tablets), 1,477 subjects had 7,720 cycles of use and a total of 5 pregnancies were reported. This represents an overall pregnancy rate of 0.84 per 100 woman-years. This rate includes patients who did not take the drug correctly. One or more pills were missed during 1,479 (18.8%) of the 7,870 cycles; thus all tablets were taken during 6,391 (81.2%) of the 7,870 cycles. Of the total 7,870 cycles, a total of 150 cycles were excluded from the calculation of the Pearl index due to the use of backup contraception and/or missing 3 or more consecutive pills.