Teva Europe has launched its extended-regimen oral contraceptive Seasonique in its first European markets.
The birth control option contains 84 active pills made up of levonorgestrel/ethinyl-estradiol and is followed by seven days of ethinyl-estradiol tablets.
The latter tablets are used during the seven days instead of a placebo interval, allowing women to have four short scheduled periods and can potentially lessen the withdrawal symptoms that result from a decrease in hormones.
Teva‘s contraception has been launched in Austria, Italy, Poland and Slovakia.
Christophe Pelletier, VP Women’s Health Europe, said: “Many women may not be aware that they can space their periods.
“Seasonique offers women a new choice in contraception to achieve greater freedom and confidence in their birth control. This product enables women to change their habits, especially those who do not want to be limited by monthly periods.”
Seasonique has been available in the US since 2006 and was recently launched in Brazil, Chile and Israel. Data collated in a global study inclusive on these countries found that seven out of ten women would prefer to have fewer periods a year when told that monthly menses is not medically necessary when on the pill.
Dr Rosella Nappi, associate professor of obstetrics and gynecology from the University of Pavia, Italy, added: “With this new contraceptive option, doctors now have an option to offer their patients in which they can determine whether or not they want to bleed monthly.”