Health Benefits
The main benefit of any oral contraceptive is that it prevents pregnancy. Since Lybrel is an extended cycle oral contraceptive, it provides the added advantage of preventing menustration in some women. This can bea tremendous help to somen who experience cramping, nausea, breast tenderness, migraine headaches or mood changes during their periods. In Wyeth's worldwide clinical trials women experienced the following results:
In their detailed patient labeling, Wyeth suggests that taking any oral contraceptive could have the following health benefits:
- 59 percent of women achieved amenorrhea (defined as absence of all bleeding and spotting)
- 20 percent of women experienced spotting only, not requiring any sanitary protection
- 21 percent of women required sanitary protection due to breakthrough bleeding
- Decreased blood and iron lost, which makes anemia less likely to occur
- Pain associated with menustration may occur less frequently
- Ovarian cysts may occur less frequently
- Ectopic (tubal) pregnancy may occur less frequently
- Noncancerous cysts or lumps in the breast may occur less frequently
- Acute pelvic inclammatory disease may occur less frequently
- Oral contraceptive use may provide some protection against two forms of cancer: cancer of the ovaries and cancer of the lining of the uterus