Managing perimenopause: the case for OCs

Before initiating OC therapy, it is important to ascertain what misconceptions—if any—the patient has about their use and to counsel her about their likely side effects. Scheduling a follow-up visit at the end of the second cycle of pills is a good way of ensuring compliance and tailoring the therapy to the patient’s needs. Among the ways OC regimens can be adjusted is by extending the number of days that pills are taken—while reducing the pill-free interval to less than 7 days—to diminish side effects.