Tops in birth control As more and more women opt-out of birth control pills for newer forms of pregnancy prevention, a new review has found that while the perfect solution remains elusive, most choices are equally effective. "Basically, all of these methods were similar in preventing pregnancy," says lead investigator Laureen Lopez, Ph.D., research associate at Family Health International in Research,Triangle Park,N.C. Researchers monitored 11 randomized controlled trials,which utilized more than 6,000 women, focused on three trials comparing the patch to the pill, and eight comparing the ring to the pill. Trials revealed that women using the patch used the medication as prescribed more frequently than those on the pill.Also, patch users reported an increase in side effects and were more likely to abandon that method than pill users were. Ring users overall had less serious side effects than pill users, but had showed an increase in vaginal irritation and discharge.Regardless, vaginal-ring users tended to continue their preventative treatment longer than the pill group. Compared with pill users,patch users had more bleeding breakthroughs, breast discomfort, painful periods and nausea and vomiting. Rings users, on the other hand, had more vaginal irritation and discharge. Of the two, patch users tended to discontinue the method more readily. © CTW Features