Table 1.

Continuation rates in first-time users of hormonal contraceptives in Sweden 2007–2009

Product type	Initial prescription and dispensation			Switching type before 6 months use				Second prescription and dispensation identical to the first
	Age	n	Percentage of total	n	Percentage per product type	Relative risk	(95% CI)	n	Percentage per product type	Relative risk	(95% CI)
Ethinylestradiol+levonorgestrel	16–19	73 197		8234	11.2	1 (reference)		60 945	83.3	1 (reference)
	20–24	17 140		1613	9.4			13 158	76.8
	25–28	7724		529	6.8			5692	73.7
	16–28	98 061	43.3	10 376	10.6			79 795	81.4
Ethinylestradiol+ drospirenone	16–19	11 604		952	8.2	0.73	(0.68 to 0.78)	9845	84.8	1.02	(1.01 to 1.03)
	20–24	7889		433	5.5	0.58	(0.53 to 0.65)	6261	79.4	1.03	(1.02 to 1.05)
	25–28	5655		279	4.9	0.72	(0.63 to 0.83)	4317	76.3	1.04	(1.02 to 1.06)
	16–28	25 148	11.1	1664	6.6	0.63	(0.59 to 0.66)	20 423	81.2	1.00	(0.99 to 1.00)
Desogestrel-only	16–19	29 127		4977	17.1	1.52	(1.47 to 1.57)	21 797	74.8	0.90	(0.89 to 0.91)
	20–24	14 172		1719	12.1	1.29	(1.21 to 1.37)	9657	68.1	0.89	(0.88 to 0.90)
	25–28	11 880		1206	10.2	1.48	(1.34 to 1.64)	7989	67.2	0.91	(0.90 to 0.93)
	16–28	55 179	24.4	7902	14.3	1.35	(1.32 to 1.39)	39 443	71.5	0.88	(0.87 to 0.88)
Other oral hormonal contraceptives	16–28	23 948	10.6	3016	12.6	1.19	(1.15 to 1.24)	18 179	75.9	0.93	(0.93 to 0.94)
Other galenic forms*	16–28	23 875	10.6	†
Total	16–28	226 211	100.0	22 958‡	11.3‡			157 840‡	78.0‡

*Intrauterine systems, transdermal patches, implants and injections.

†Irrelevant here as the treatment has a long-term effect.

‡Excluding other galenic forms.