A Canadian multicentre prospective study on the effects of an oral contraceptive containing 3 mg drospirenone and 30 µg ethinyl oestradiol on somatic and psychological symptoms related to water retention and on body weight

Further exclusion criteria were: * psychological disorders (use of antidepressants, hypnotics, sedatives, anxiolytics); * liver and kidney diseases; * vascular and metabolic diseases; * suspicious cervical smear; * genital infections; * genital bleeding of obscure origin; * a history of migraine accompanying menstruation; * clinically relevant uterine fibroids; * medication for fluid-related symptoms or used for PMS [hormones, diuretics, bromocriptine, GnRH analogues, vitamin B6 (≥100 mg), evening primrose oil]; * use of intrauterine devices; * chronic use of oral antibiotics and/or antacids; * treatment with enzyme inducers or medications affecting intestinal reabsorption of steroids (e.g. primidone, phenobarbital, phenytoin, phenylbutazone, rifampicin, carbamazepine, griseofulvin, topiramate, other anti-epileptics); * body mass index (BMI) ≥30 kg/m^sup 2^; * previous treatment with the study drug; current or recent involvement in any weight control programme; * use of parenteral depot contraceptives during the last 6 months.