What is desogestrel?
Desogestrel is a hormonal contraceptive and is therefore used to prevent unwanted pregnancy. It is a so-called “minipill”, an oral contraceptive with a progestin as its only active ingredient. Estrogen-free pills like Desogestrel advertise effective contraception without the side effects of the classic estrogen-progestin preparations (combined preparations).
What’s the minipill?
The minipill is an estrogen-free contraceptive and contains progestin as its only active ingredient. It has advantages over the combined pill, but also disadvantages. The minipill is recommended for women who cannot tolerate preparations containing estrogens well.
In principle there are different generations of progestin preparations with different active ingredients. Desogestrel is a 3rd generation artificial progestin. The advantage of minipills with Desogestrel is that they are less strict in terms of the time they are taken.
There is a tolerance of about twelve hours. The safety of minipills with Desogestrel is comparable to combined pills. Levonorgestrel preparations, which are also pure progestin preparations, must always be taken at exactly the same time of day.
To whom is Desogestrel recommended?
Since it is an estrogen-free preparation, desogestrel and other minipills are used in women with estrogen intolerance. If headaches, menstrual cramps, breast tenderness or other side effects occur while taking combined preparations, a change to an estrogen-free preparation may be indicated. Women with an increased risk of thrombosis, such as smokers, are also advised to take the minipill.
It is also suitable for women with blood coagulation disorders, obesity, high blood pressure or in cases of existing diabetes mellitus. In contrast to the combined pill, the production of breast milk is not affected by the minipill. The estrogen-free contraceptives can therefore also be taken when breastfeeding.
How does Desogestrel work?
The minipill with desogestrel is a progestin-only preparation, which means it contains no estrogen. Desogestrel has several contraceptive effects: It thickens the mucus in the cervix, preventing sperm from entering the uterus. It also changes the structure of the lining of the uterus, which prevents fertilised eggs from implanting.
Desogestrel also suppresses ovulation: this further increases the safety of Desogestrel compared to other estrogen-free products. Desogestrel is considered to be very safe, comparable to conventional combined preparations. Furthermore, progestin is used in transsexual men to suppress menstrual bleeding if this is not achieved by the testosterone treatment.
What are the side effects of Desogestrel?
Like any drug, desogestrel can have side effects. Very often you may experience spotting, bleeding between periods, or irregular menstrual cycles. Other common side effects include headaches, water retention or weight gain, skin problems such as acne or hair loss, breast tenderness, or an altered mood.
Occasionally nausea and vomiting, vaginal infections or inflammation, menstrual pain or allergic reactions with rashes and itching may occur. The risk of thrombosis, the formation of a blood clot, is also increased when taking any kind of birth control pill. Women smokers in particular have an increased risk of suffering a thrombosis or pulmonary embolism.
However, the risk of thrombosis is lower with estrogen-free preparations such as Desogestrel compared to combined preparations. At the first signs of a possible thrombosis, such as pain and swelling in the calf or thigh, overheating of the limb or superficial venous drawing, treatment with Desogestrel should be stopped immediately and a doctor consulted. A doctor should also be consulted in the event of other side effects such as severe headaches, vision problems or depression.
In rare cases, taking Desogestrel may also cause liver function disorders, inflammation of the liver or jaundice. Weight gain is considered a possible side effect of Desogestrel. However, not every user will experience this.
Whether or not weight gain occurs when taking desogestrel or other hormonal contraceptives is an individual matter. For some people, the pill increases their appetite and food intake, and their weight increases. Water retention is also a common side effect, which can cause weight gain.
Patients who gain significant weight should consult their doctor. In general, an increase can be counteracted with a healthy, balanced diet and exercise. In some cases it may be necessary to switch to another contraceptive method.
Go to: How healthy is your diet – The Self-Test Desogestrel may also have an effect on libido. Women report sexual unwillingness and improvement when switching to alternative contraceptives. The influence of progestins on the hormone balance is held responsible for this.
The pill can therefore have an influence on the female libido. Women who experience reduced sexual desire should inform their doctor about the possible side effects. Switching to a different contraceptive can help.
In the package leaflets accompanying the pill, the possible side effects include an influence on mood and the development of depression. Studies speak of an increased occurrence of the symptoms especially at the beginning of taking the pill. Mood swings do not necessarily occur in all women.
Changing the preparation can help, and sometimes a switch to alternative contraceptive methods such as mechanical contraception using condoms is indicated. Particular caution is required when taking St. John’s wort. This is used for mild to moderate depression.
The active ingredient accelerates the metabolism of contraceptives and reduces their effectiveness. This can lead to unwanted pregnancy. In addition to skin problems such as acne, the pill can also cause hair loss.
This can be caused by the androgenic effect of progestins. Desogestrel is usually a progestin with very little androgenic effect, so switching from another progestin or combination pill to desogestrel for hair loss may be indicated. Even after stopping the pill, women sometimes complain of hair loss.
As a rule, the lost hair grows back as soon as the body gets used to the hormonal changes. If the hair loss is severe, a dermatologist should be consulted for safety reasons, or a change of contraceptive should be discussed with the gynaecologist. In general, the risk of thrombosis is increased for every woman who uses a hormonal contraceptive.
The influence of the contraceptive pill on the metabolism of the so-called coagulation factors of the liver is held responsible for this. However, the risk of thrombosis with the minipill is considerably lower than with combined preparations, which is why they are recommended for women with an increased risk. This includes especially women who smoke, have already suffered a thrombosis or have a positive family history. If there are the slightest signs of a possible thrombosis – a feeling of tension, heat or an increase in the circumference of the affected extremity, superficial vein drawing – those affected should definitely consult a doctor. Find everything else on the topic: Blood coagulation
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