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Lybrel: A New Approach to Birth Control
by Aaron Dunn, 08.07.07
Most women taking Lybrel will never menstruate. |
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The pill. You've heard of it. You know it prevents pregnancy. You might even know someone who's on it. What you probably didn't know is that the pill is in the midst of a major makeover.
Some Background
First, let's talk biology. During a typical woman's normal monthly cycle, which is controlled by a varying balance of naturally occurring hormones, an egg created in one of the ovaries travels a short distance through a fallopian tube to the uterus. If it is not fertilized by a sperm on the way, or if a fertilized egg does not implant in the uterine lining, the egg is shed along with the lining during menstruation. This is the bleeding that signals the onset of a woman's period. If the egg is fertilized and implants, the shedding never happens. Instead, the uterine lining continues to thicken in order to provide a healthy, protective environment for an embryo to develop.
The most common type of birth control pills contain the hormones progestin and estrogen (some pills are progestin-only). Most pills are designed to fit a 28-day cycle. With these pills, a woman takes a new hormone tablet every day for 21 days. The steady dose of hormones can prevent her from ovulating (producing an egg). They can also thicken the cervical mucus, which also helps prevent pregnancy. Then, for the last seven days of her cycle, she takes a placebo pill. The sudden change in her body's hormone levels allows her to menstruate. She has her "period," shedding her uterine lining (albeit without an egg). Finally, after seven days, she starts the cycle anew with a fresh pack of birth control pills.
Introducing Lybrel
A new kind of pill, named Lybrel and manufactured by a company called Wyeth, has now been approved for use in the United States. Available via prescription since July, Lybrel delivers hormones every day of the year. One "active" pill a day, day in, day out.
So what's the point? Simple: No period. Most women taking Lybrel will never menstruate. The continuous, "active" dose of hormones prevents it
Weighing the Risks
Women take birth control pills not only to prevent pregnancy, but in many cases to regulate their periods and treat period-related symptoms. Now, with this new take on the pill, some women will take it to avoid having periods — or the sometimes uncomfortable side effects that come with them — at all. The concept is not new. Women have been skipping periods by taking the pill continuously for years. The practice is called continuous cycling. And nearly four years ago, Seasonale, the birth control pill that was designed to give women four periods per year, made its debut as the first brand of birth control pills specifically packaged and marketed as a way for women to skip periods and prevent pregnancy.
But what are the risks of Lybrel? According to experts, they're similar to those of the pill. Like any hormonal form of birth control, the new pill does not protect against sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Rarely, women, especially smokers over the age of 35, experience serious health problems, including cardiovascular problems - increased risk of blood clots, stroke, and heart attack. More often, some women may experience unscheduled bleeding or spotting. Still, medical experts agree that all available forms of the pill are safe.
Another concern, of course, is if in the rare case that you do become pregnant while on the pill, you won't have that missed period to let you know. The only way you'll know for sure is through a pregnancy test.
The Controversy
Since Lybrel suppresses menstruation, some people feel it interferes with the body's natural cycle and therefore can't be healthy. Others think menstrual suppression unfairly reinforces negative feelings about women's periods; that is, they're embarrassing, awkward, and unwanted, so just take a pill and be rid of them. Still others are worried that the dangers of this new pill may not have been accurately reported by the manufacturer. Many of these same concerns were raised when Seasonale hit the market. Those in favor of continuous cycling applaud the potential relief from painful symptoms associated with menstruation and the arrival of yet another choice when it comes to birth control. Still others argue that modern women, who are not pregnant for much of their adult life, are already having more periods than in the past - so that continuous cycling is, in a way, more "natural." |
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