British Nursing News Online

WWW.BNN-ONLINE.CO.UK

Thursday, 18 April 2024

Wednesday, 28 December 2005 10:58

BNN: British Nursing News Online · www.bnn-online.co.uk

New pill eliminates periods

A new Pill promising to eliminate menstruation and premenstrual syndrome has been unveiled in the US.

Wyeth Pharmaceuticals, the manufacturer, claims the Pill – which contains both oestrogen and progestogen – is safe and does no permanent damage to fertility.

Experts believe the Pill could revolutionise the lifestyles of career women who will be able to eliminate the inconvenience of periods from their busy schedules.

However, critics have warned that oral contraceptives raise the risk of breast cancer and blood clots. Continuous exposure to hormones might make it more difficult to spot potential health problems, they say.

Women on the Pill usually take it for 21 days and then stop for seven - during which they experience a light period.

The new Pill, called Anya, is designed to be taken 365 days a year without a break.

The chemical composition of Anya is actually very similar to the current Pill but dose is varied so it can be taken non-stop.

Researchers found that 71 per cent of women stopped having any bleeding after taking it for seven months, while women with a history of pre-menstrual syndrome also had fewer symptoms.

Melissa Dear of the fpa, formerly the Family Planning Association, said: "It is safe to suppress menstruation and I would have thought some women would jump at the chance of it. Others will still want the reassurance of a monthly bleed."

- 0 comments on this story

Sponsored by The Nursing Portal