Combined hormonal contraceptive use in Europe before and after the European Commission mandated changes in product information.

ABSTRACT:

Objectives

We investigated combined hormonal contraceptives (CHC) prescribing patterns (focusing on combined oral contraceptives; COC) in three countries (Netherlands, Denmark, United Kingdom) in a time period preceding and in a time period following the European Commission's decision to update product information, and we estimated changes in incidence of venous thromboembolism (VTE) between the two periods.

Study design

We conducted a drug utilization analysis and a cohort study using routinely collected data. We calculated number, proportion and incidence rate of new users, switchers, and stoppers of COC in both time periods. VTE incidence was calculated in new users of COC and in all women aged 18-49 years.

Results

In all countries, the largest proportion (> 75%) o

SUBMITTER: Khialani D 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7286180 | biostudies-literature | 2020

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature