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CENTCHROMAN

Centchroman is a potent non-steroidal non-hormonal birth control method. It is a once-a-week oral contraceptive which has been proved to be not only highly effective but also safe.

Centchroman is a SERM - a Selective Estrogen Receptor Modulator. It acts on estrogen receptors in the body to either stimulate or suppress the receptors.

What is interesting about Centchroman is that it suppresses the receptors in the reproductive organs like the ovaries, uterus and breasts. But it stimulates the estrogen receptors of other organs like the bones. So, while it acts as a birth control pill, it can prevent breast cancers, uterine cancers and stimulate the formation of new bones.

Developed by the Central Drug Research Institute of India in the late nineties, Centchroman has undergone extensive clinical trials. It has a failure rate of only 1.63% which compares favorably with other birth control pills which have a failure rate of 1 to 1.5%.

Reproline, an affiliate of the John Hopkins University, has stated in an article that 'Centchroman could become an extremely important new oral contraceptive'.

Centchroman is believed to be more effective than the birth control methods like condoms, the intrauterine contraceptive devices (IUDs), the rhythm method and the oral contraceptive pills .

How does Centchroman prevent pregnancy?

Centchroman acts at three points in the reproductive cycle:

  • It increases the movement of the fertilized ovum through the fallopian tubes so that it reaches the uterus too early and the endometrium is not ready for implantation at that time.

  • It increases the rate of maturation of the ovum so that it is hypermature when it reaches the endometrium and fails to implant in it.

  • It slows down the growth and development of the endometrium so that it is not adequately prepared to receive the fertilized ovum when it reaches the uterus.

Dosage Schedule of Centchroman

Centchroman is available as 30mg tablets. A single tablet should be taken twice a week (on a sunday and a wednesday) for the first three months and then weekly (every sunday) thereafter. The first pill is taken on the first day of the period or the first sunday after the first day of the period. Additional contraceptives like condoms should be used for the first month.

Advantages of Centchroman

  • It is highly effective.

  • It is safe to use. Since Centchroman has no effect on either the ovaries or the uterus, it can be started without a pelvic examination.

    But a thorough pelvic examination is necessary before starting birth control pills containing estrogen and progesterone since these hormones can affect both these organs.

  • Being non-hormonal, it does not cause the nausea, dizziness, weight gain and other side effects associated with birth control pills.

  • It has no adverse effect on blood coagulation, liver function and lipid profile. So there are no chances of blood clots or increase in the cholesterol level due to centchroman.

  • It is not toxic. In women who became pregnant while on centchroman, no congenital anomalies were noted in the babies.

  • It is less expensive than the traditional estrogen-progesterone pills. While a single month's course of the estrogen-progesterone pills costs between $35-$45, Centchroman costs about $50 to $60 for a 12 months course.

  • Since it does not stop ovulation, return to fertility is faster once the pills are stopped.
  • Risks of infertility are minimal.

Disadvantages of Centchroman

  • Centchroman causes delayed periods in some women. But this occurs in less than 10% of users and usually in the first three months. The periods tend to settle down to a rhythm once the body gets used to the drug.

  • There may be heavier periods in the first three months with tender breasts, water retention and some amount of acne.

  • Periods can get scanty over time in some women.

But most users have agreed that this is a safe and effective alternative to the the estrogen-progesterone birth control pills.

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This site is a Question and Answer Site on Obstetrics and Gynecology . Here you can ask any medical health question you like from the privacy of your home. And our online gynecologist Dr.M.D.Mazumdar, MD (O&G), will reply within 24 hours.

The advantage of online consultation is that you can ask your question from the privacy of your home at any time you want - morning, day or midnight. You can plan out what you want to ask or even prepare a questionnaire about your concerns. Our expert would be glad to answer every detail.

We charge a nominal fee of USD 20 ($20) per question (for Indian viewers, the charge is a discounted USD 9, about Rs 400.00 only) to help keep this site up and running. All payments are made through the third-party Paypal credit card processing system to ensure absolute credit card security and reliability.

The procedure of asking a question is quite simple. Clicking on the link below takes you to the Paypal website where the payment is made. After the payment goes through, you will be directed back to this website where you can ask your question.

And rest assured, you will get your answer within 24 hours. And usually, even sooner.

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Consultations on this website are by E-mail only. Our gynecologist, Dr. M.D.Mazumdar answers each and every medical health question personally. Under no circumstances are E-mail addresses provided to anyone else. Each medical health question, pregnancy question, or question on gynecology has a fee of USD 20.00. Payment is through the third party Paypal credit card processing system. This ensures absolute security and reliability.

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