OBJECTIVE:

To investigate centchroman as a method of emergency contraception and to compare its efficacy and side effects at single and double doses to that of levonorgestrel regimen.

METHODS:

150 healthy women in reproductive age group seeking post coital contraception admit within 120 hours of single unprotected intercourse to our Outpatient Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences,New Delhi. The three regimens of emergency contraception given on random basis were 1.5mg single dose Levonorgestrel tablet-Group I, single 60mg dose of Centchroman-Group II, and 30 mg Centchroman twice a day at an interval of 12 hours- Group III. The outcome measures were unintended pregnancy, pregnancy rates, prevented fraction, side effects and the timing of the first menstruation after treatment.

RESULTS:

The baseline characteristics of women were similar. 4 women (2.7%) were lost to follow up and 146 women remained in the analysis.The pregnancy rate and the prevented fraction was 4%(2/50)and 50%,2.1%(1/47) and 75%,6.1%(3/49) and 25% in Group I, II and III respectively(p>0.05).There was no serious side effect and more than 90 % women in all groups had menses within 2 days of expected date.

CONCLUSION:

Single dose centchroman(60mg) comparable to levonorgestrel single dose (1.5mg) as emergency contraception.

Keywords: Emergency Contraception, Levonorgestrel, Centchroman, pregnancy rates