This CEU Statement provides guidance to healthcare professionals in response to a letter circulated by MSD (manufacturer of Nexplanon®) to healthcare professionals in the UK about updated guidance regarding the recommended Nexplanon® insertion site.
A new mathematical model suggests that effective suppression of ovulation for contraception could be achieved using lower doses of progestogen and estrogen than those currently used in hormonal contraceptives. A paper published today in PLOS Computational Biology describes the model and its findings. The authors highlight that lower exposure to exogenous hormones could reduce associated health risks and side effects. The model could be used to inform dose and regimen of exogenous hormones to be investigated by future clinical trials seeking to find new options for safe, effective and acceptable contraception. Clinical trials would be required to investigate what outcomes, with such regimens, were found in practice.
Theramex, in agreement with the MHRA, has issued a direct healthcare professional communications (DHPC) letter relating to prescribing of Zoely®, a combined oral contraceptive containing estradiol in combination with 2.5mg of the progestogen nomegestrol acetate (NOMAC).
The guidance is a response to evidence indicating an association between use of preparations containing nomegestrol acetate at higher doses than in Zoely (3.75mg-5mg) and increased risk of intracranial meningioma.
There is not evidence relating directly to use of Zoely itself.
This statement is a response to a new observational study by Fitzpatrick et al. (March 2023) which investigated the association between current or recent use of combined oral and progestogen-only hormonal contraception and breast cancer risk.
A new study (Edelman 2022) adds to the evidence around use of LNG-EC by those with higher weight/BMI but does not give a clear enough picture to inform any change in guidance.
A recently-published literature review considers the evidence around mechanism of action of levonorgestrel oral emergency contraception (LNG-EC). The findings support current FSRH guidance on emergency contraception, and are reassuring for those with ethical concerns about post-ovulation effects.
This FSRH Statement responses to a recently published cohort study, which used information from Finnish databases, assessed incidence of confirmed venous thromboembolic (VTE) events in 2018/19 amongst the roughly 300,000 Finnish people aged 15-49 who were using hormonal contraception (HC) in 2017 (identified from the prescribing database) and age-matched controls who were not using hormonal contraception.
This FSRH Satement notes the availability and dispensive of the combined vaginal contraceptive rings in the UK.
The Clinical Effectiveness Unit have had a number of recent queries around the extended use of LARC during COVID19. We would like to remind Members that extended use of LARC was recommended only when health risk associated with COVID19 transmission was at its highest.
Benilexa® (Gedeon Richter) - a 52mg levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine system (LNG-IUS) with a reloadable one-handed insertion device - is now available in the UK. Benilexa is licensed for 6 years of use for contraception. It is not licensed for endometrial protection as part of HRT. This FSRH CEU Resource provides a table which compares the product characteristics of LNG-IUS devices currently available in the UK, Benilexa®, Levosert®, Mirena®, Kyleena® and Jaydess®.
This FSRH Statement reviews two desogestrel 75mcg progestogen-only pill (POP) available over-the-counter as Pharmacy Medicines.
