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Objectives: To estimate the real-use contraceptive effectiveness of the combined oral contraceptive (COC) containing dienogest and oestradiol valerate (DNG/oEV) compared to other combined oral contraceptives (oCOC) and particularly, levonorgestrel-containing OCs (LNG). Methods: Prospective, non-interventional cohort study with two main exposure groups and one exposure subgroup: new users of DNG/oEV and oCOC, with the subgroup, LNG. In a planned secondary analysis, pregnancy outcomes were investigated, including contraceptive failure. The influence of age, parity and OC-type were assessed. Results: 30,098 COC users were followed for a total oral contraceptive exposure time of 68,362 woman-years (WY) and 287 unintended pregnancies were reported. The overall contraceptive failure rate in the European population was 0.4 events/100 WY (95% CI, 0.4-0.5). DNG/oEV showed lower contraceptive failure rates compared to the comparators. This difference was maintained when the study population was restricted to women aged 18-35 years; the pearl index (PI) for this demographic for DNG/oEV was 0.37 (95% CI 0.24-0.54) and 0.76 (95% CI 0.56-1.01) for LNG. The hazard ratios (HRs) adjusted for age, parity, smoking and BMI were 0.7 (95% CI, 0.5-0.98, p  = .04) and 0.5 (95% CI, 0.3-0.8, p  < .01) for DNG/oEV versus oCOC and LNG, respectively. The corresponding adjusted HRs in women aged 25 years or younger were 0.6 (95% CI 0.4-1.1) and 0.4 (95% CI, 0.2-0.8), respectively. Conclusions/discussion: DNG/oEV showed improved contraceptive effectiveness compared with oCOC and particularly LNG-COC when adjusted for age, parity, user status and smoking.

Objectives: To estimate the real-use contraceptive effectiveness of the combined oral contraceptive containing dienogest and estradiol valerate (DNG/EV) and whether DNG/EV compared to other combined oral contraceptives (oCOC) has a negative effect on return to fertility., Methods: Transatlantic, prospective, non-interventional cohort study conducted in the USA and seven European countries with two main exposure groups and one exposure subgroup: new users of DNG/EV and other COC (oCOC), particularly levonorgestrel-containing COCs (LNG). In a planned secondary analysis, pregnancy outcomes were investigated including contraceptive effectiveness and pregnancy following contraceptive cessation. The influence of age, parity and OC-type were assessed., Results: 50,203 COC users were followed for 105,761 woman-years (WY). There were 677 unintended pregnancies reported: 451 in the USA and 226 in Europe. The contraceptive failure rate in Europe was 0.5 events/100 WY (95% CI: 0.4-0.5) and in the USA 1.9 events/100 WY (95% CI: 1.7-2.1). Differences in compliance (1.3 pregnancies/100 WY) accounted for 90% of the geographical difference seen between Europe and the USA. DNG/EV showed lower contraceptive failure rates compared to the comparators; 0.9% DNG/EV, 2.1% oCOC and 2.8% LNG after 4 years. Overall, 1167 (2.3%) of women stopped contraceptive use with the intention of becoming pregnant with 89% conceiving within 2 years. No significant differences were seen between groups after adjusting for age., Conclusion/discussion: DNG/EV is associated with similar contraceptive effectiveness in typical-use settings when compared to oCOC and LNG. There was no difference observed between cohorts in fertility following OC use.

Objective: To estimate real-life effectiveness of oral contraceptive pills by progestogen, length of pill-free interval, and body mass index while focusing on the effect of progestogens with a long half-life and on 24-day oral contraceptive pills regimens., Methods: Outcome data from 52,218 U.S. participants in the International Active Surveillance of Women Taking Oral Contraceptives—a large, prospective, controlled, noninterventional, long-term cohort study with active surveillance of the study participants—were used to analyze contraceptive failure in association with oral contraceptive pills use. Low loss to follow-up is ensured by a comprehensive follow-up procedure. Contraceptive failure rates are described by Pearl Index and life-table analysis. Inferential statistics for contraceptive failure are based on Cox regression models., Results: Analyses are based on 1,634 unintended pregnancies during 73,269 woman-years of oral contraceptive pills exposure. Life-table estimates of contraceptive failure for a 24-day regimen of drospirenone and ethinyl estradiol and 21-day regimens of other progestogens were 2.1% and 3.5% after the first study year, and 4.7% and 6.7% after the third year. The adjusted hazard ratio was 0.7 (95% confidence interval 0.6–0.8). Direct comparisons of the 24-day and 21-day regimens of drospirenone and norethisterone, respectively, showed also lower contraceptive failure rates for 24-day regimens. Contraceptive failure rates adjusted for age, parity and educational level showed a slight increase with higher body mass index., Conclusion: The 24-day oral contraceptive regimens containing a progestogen with a long half-life show higher contraceptive effectiveness under routine medical conditions compared with conventional 21-day regimens. Obesity seems to be associated with a slight reduction of contraceptive effectiveness., Clinical Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov, www.clinicaltrials.gov, NCT00335257., Level of Evidence: II

Objectives: To determine whether prior oral-contraceptive use has a negative effect on the ability of women to conceive in both the short-term and long-term., Methods: The European Active Surveillance Study on Oral Contraceptives (EURAS-OC) was a controlled, prospective, noninterventional cohort study of 59,510 users of oral contraceptives containing drospirenone or other progestins in clinical practice in seven European countries. In a planned secondary analysis, pregnancy outcomes were investigated in 2,064 participants in EURAS-OC who stopped oral-contraceptive use after study entry because of planned pregnancy. The influence of age, parity, progestin type, ethinylestradiol dose, duration of oral-contraceptive use, and smoking status on the rate of pregnancy was assessed., Results: Overall, 21.1% (95% confidence interval [CI] 19.4-23.0%) of the past oral-contraceptive users were pregnant one cycle after oral-contraceptive cessation. This rate increased to 79.4% (95% CI 77.6-81.1%) at 1 year (13 cycles). Progestin type, ethinylestradiol dose, duration of oral-contraceptive use, and parity had no major influence on the rate of pregnancy after oral-contraceptive cessation. Up to age 35 years, age had only a minor influence on the rate of pregnancy. Rates of pregnancy were reduced in women older than 35 years and in current smokers., Conclusion: Previous oral-contraceptive use does not negatively affect initial and 1-year rates of pregnancy after oral-contraceptive cessation. A comparison of these data with data external to this study indicates that the negative effect of aging on fecundity is not amplified by oral-contraceptive use., Level of Evidence: II.