Research article

Satisfaction and compliance in hormonal contraception: the result of a multicentre clinical study on women's experience with the ethinylestradiol/norelgestromin contraceptive patch in Italy

Pier Giorgio Crosignani¹ , Carmine Nappi² , Salvatore Ronsini³ , Vincenzina Bruni⁴ , Silvia Marelli⁵ , Davide Sonnino⁵ and The Italian EVRA Contrast Study Group⁶

¹II Institute of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Milan, Milan, Italy

²Department of Obstetric-Gynaecological, Urological Sciences and Reproduction Medicine, University of Naples, Naples, Italy

³Department of Maternal and Children's Sciences, ASL SA 3 San Luca Hospital, Vallo della Lucania (SA), Italy

⁴Department of Gynaecology, Perinatology and Human Reproduction, University of Florence, Florence, Italy

⁵Medical Affairs Department, Janssen-Cilag SpA, Cologno Monzese (MI), Italy

⁶See the Acknowledgements for the complete list of members

author email corresponding author email

BMC Women's Health 2009, 9:18doi:10.1186/1472-6874-9-18

Published:	30 June 2009

Abstract

Background

For many women finding the right contraceptive method can be challenging and consistent and correct use over a lifetime is difficult. Even remembering to take a birth control pill every day can be a challenge. The primary objective of this study was to evaluate women's experience with a weekly ethinylestradiol/norelgestromin contraceptive patch (EE/NGMN patch), given new technologies recently developed in hormonal contraception to increase women's options in avoiding daily dosing.

Methods

In 24 Italian sites, 207 women received the EE/NGMN patch for up to 6 cycles. At study end, overall satisfaction and preference, as well as compliance, efficacy and safety, were evaluated.

Results

175 women (84.5%) completed the study. The overall satisfaction rate was 88%; convenience and once-a-week frequency of the patch were especially appreciated. At baseline, 82 women (39.4%) were using a contraceptive method, mainly oral contraceptives and barrier methods, but only 45.1% were very satisfied/satisfied; after 6 months with the patch, 86.3% of this subset was very satisfied/satisfied. Considering the method used in the 3 months before the study entry, 78.1% strongly preferred/preferred the patch, for convenience (53.9%), ease of use/simplicity (28.9%), fewer (9.2%) and less severe (2.6%) side effects. Compliance was very high: 1034/1110 cycles (93.2%) were completed with perfect compliance and the mean subject's compliance score was 90%. One on-therapy pregnancy occurred. The patch was safe and well tolerated: adverse events frequency was low, with predominantly single reports of each event. Most of them started and subsided during cycle 1.

Conclusion

This study demonstrated that the EE/NGMN patch is associated with high satisfaction levels and excellent compliance. At study end, the majority of women indicated that they would continue using the patch.