---
title: Does a new birth control pill with norgestimate control the menstrual cycle well?
description: Yes. Most women had normal bleeding patterns with minimal clinically insignificant changes in flow, cramps, and premenstrual tension. The large sample makes t
url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/cycle-control-with-triphasic-norgestimate-and-ethinyl-estradiol-a-new-oral-1992/
---

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- Does a new birth control pill with norgestimate control the menstrual cycle well?

Non-randomised trial, 1992

# Does a new birth control pill with norgestimate control the menstrual cycle well?

Yes. Most women had normal bleeding patterns with minimal clinically insignificant changes in flow, cramps, and premenstrual tension. The large sample makes this strong, but no control group limits what we can conclude about the pill itself.

 Early or limited evidence

1,783 healthy women aged 17-38 in the United States

## What they did

1,783 healthy women aged 17 to 38 took a triphasic oral contraceptive with norgestimate and ethinyl estradiol for up to 24 cycles at 33 sites in the United States. Researchers tracked 27,970 total cycles. Follow-up happened 3 to 4 months after treatment ended.

## What they found

Most women experienced normal cyclic bleeding patterns. Variations in menstrual flow, dysmenorrhea, and premenstrual tension were minimal and clinically insignificant. Less than 1.0% of cycles after cycle 6 had failed withdrawal bleeding. No woman developed amenorrhea. The mean incidence of breakthrough bleeding was 2.36% in cycles 13 to 24.

## What it means for you

This birth control pill effectively maintains normal menstrual cycles with few bleeding or cramping side effects. The study was large, but it had no control group or placebo, so we cannot know how much the pill itself causes these results versus what would happen otherwise.

1,783

Women in study

27,970

Menstrual cycles analyzed

2.36%

Breakthrough bleeding in cycles 13-24

## About the study

Original title Cycle control with triphasic norgestimate and ethinyl estradiol, a new oral contraceptive agent Authors Andolsek KM Journal Acta obstetricia et gynecologica Scandinavica. Supplement Year 1992 Study design Non-randomised trial Participants 1,783 What was tested Triphasic oral contraceptive with norgestimate and ethinyl estradiol for up to 24 cycles Read the paper [doi.org/10.3109/00016349209156511](https://doi.org/10.3109/00016349209156511)

## Topics

[Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pms/)[Dysmenorrhea and period pain](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-dysmenorrhea/)[Oral contraceptives and drospirenone](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-hormonal-contraceptives/)

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Calm down, see it another way, and decide what to say, with a PMS and PMDD app built by a doctor.

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