Trenton, N.J. – Looking for a contraceptive that’s convenient – and tasty? The first chewable birth-control method – a tiny, spearmint-flavored tablet that also can be swallowed without chewing – has hit pharmacy shelves.
Femcon Fe, which contains the same hormones as standard oral contraceptives, offers a new option for women who don’t like swallowing pills and want to take their birth control with them, according to Carl Reichel, president of drugmaker Warner Chilcott of Rockaway, N.J.
Warner Chilcott, which makes prescription dermatology and women’s health products, officially launched the product Thursday aimed at women who sometimes forget to take their pills.
“This isn’t a great leap forward, but I think this is a helpful step,” said Dr. Lee Shulman, chairman of the Association of Reproductive Health Professionals, and an obstetrician-gynecologist at Northwestern Memorial Hospital.
“I think it is a better approach in the group of women who have a very high rate of unintended pregnancy, which is younger women,” Shulman said.
According to a number of studies, one-third to nearly one-half of women on birth- control pills forget one or two a month, increasing their chances of pregnancy.
Femcon Fe is a chewable version of the company’s Ovcon 35, a birth-control pill that has been on the market for about three decades.
