How to measure oral contraceptive adherence: An ongoing research challenge

摘要

Missed oral contraceptive (OC) pills are a clinical concern for the obvious reason that if a woman does not take her pills in a reasonably consistent manner, she has a greater chance of ovulation and consequent pregnancy [1]. Human beings, regardless of age, gender or medication type, have difficulty with daily medication compliance [2]; however, for many medications, an occasional missed dose will not exact as extreme an outcome as an unintended pregnancy. Because irregularities in OC use are so prevalent, the effectiveness of this method in the United States hovers closer to 90% than the 99% that would be possible with consistent use [3].