Retrospective review of norethindrone use in adolescents.

Abstract

STUDY OBJECTIVE:

Our objectives were to review norethindrone use in an adolescent population in a tertiary care center and to assess the effectiveness of the norethindrone taper in the management of acute heavy menstrual bleeding in adolescents.

DESIGN:

Retrospective cohort study.

SETTING:

Tertiary care center.

PARTICIPANTS:

176 adolescent females prescribed norethindrone 0.35 mg between July 2007 and September 2010.

INTERVENTIONS:

None.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES:

Discontinuation and irregular bleeding rates.

RESULTS:

Mean age was 14.8 ± 2.3 years. Most common indication for use was heavy menstrual bleeding (32.9%). Most common reasons for use of a progestin only pill were neurologic (27.8%) and cardiovascular diseases (17.6%). Discontinuation rate was 48.5%, most commonly for irregular bleeding (54.5%). Irregular bleeding and systemic side effects were associated with discontinuation (P = .006 and .003 respectively). No serious adverse events were reported. Twenty patients required norethindrone taper for heavy bleeding; of this group 78.9% experienced complete cessation of bleeding within 7 days.

CONCLUSIONS:

Our findings support use of norethindrone as an effective alternative among adolescents with contraindications to administration of estrogen and for whom control of acute heavy menstrual bleeding is desired.

• Authors: M Santos, Deborah Hendry, Haleh Sangi-Haghpeykar, Jennifer E Dietrich
• Journal: Journal of pediatric and adolescent gynecology (J Pediatr Adolesc Gynecol) Vol. 27 Issue 1 Pg. 41-4 (Feb 2014) ISSN: 1873-4332 [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 24315714 (Publication Type: Journal Article)
• Copyright: Copyright © 2014 North American Society for Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Chemical References

• Contraceptives, Oral, Synthetic
• Estrogens
• Norethindrone

Topics

• Adolescent
• Child
• Contraceptives, Oral, Synthetic (administration & dosage, adverse effects)
• Contraindications
• Estrogens
• Female
• Hot Flashes (chemically induced)
• Humans
• Medication Adherence
• Menorrhagia (drug therapy)
• Metrorrhagia (chemically induced)
• Mood Disorders (chemically induced)
• Nausea (chemically induced)
• Norethindrone (administration & dosage, adverse effects)
• Retrospective Studies
• Tertiary Care Centers
• Treatment Refusal
• Vomiting (chemically induced)