The promise and performance of progestogens as contraceptives

Abstract

Progestogens were first suggested as possible contraceptives in the 1920s, but it was not until the early 1960s that effective progestogen-only contraceptive methods were developed. Since then it has become possible to deliver a range of different progestogens at varying doses, by a variety of routes, over greatly differing durations of time. Some of these systems have demonstrated extraordinarily high contraceptive efficacy with relatively few side-effects apart from unpredictable, but almost universal, disturbances of the menstrual pattern. It is now recognized that some systems may exhibit substantial non-contraceptive health benefits, which should become an important part of the overall performance profile of each method. The high technology and differing attributes associated with some of the systems raise important considerations in relation to user’s perceptions and programmatic requirements. Overall, progestogens are able to offer women a varied range of valuable choices for contraception. The differing performance characteristics of these methods now provide women with a major portion of their current contraceptive choices.