For women who dread their monthly visit from "Aunt Flow," a new birth control pill might provide some relief.

Seasonale, produced by Barr Laboratories, is an extended-cycle oral contraceptive — which means it is a birth control pill taken for 91 days as opposed to the common 28 — that causes women to menstruate only four times a year. It is the only FDA-approved birth control pill of its kind and was released nationwide on Oct. 23.

"I think a lot of women would find it appealing because you don't get your period as often and you don't have to go see a doctor constantly (to get a refill on pills)," said sophomore in LAS Sarah Jacobson.

Anna Manno, communications associate at Barr Laboratories, said most women find the idea of having fewer periods appealing.

Manno said Barr Laboratories conducted market research and found that women were the most comfortable getting their period every three months. She said many women were not ready to completely suppress their menstrual cycle, although she said that could be possible with other contraceptives.

"I know there are a lot of companies, including Barr, looking into an even further extended-cycle oral contraceptive," Manno said.

Janet Roadcap, a pharmacist at Carle RxExpress Pharmacy, said completely suppressing the menstrual cycle is possible.

"I know you can get contraceptive shots to stop your period indefinitely," she said. "There are women who will do it for years, and will sometimes just get a very light period."

Sabrina Harper, junior in LAS, said never getting a period sounds ideal but she could not see herself taking a contraceptive with those results.

"I wouldn't want to be on a birth control pill where I never got a period because it seems unnatural," Harper said.

Manno said many women feel it is abnormal to suppress a menstrual cycle and are concerned that during the three months, an excess of lining would build up in the uterus. Manno said this is not true, and is an "old wives' tale."

Roadcap agreed and said the hormone progestin in oral contraceptives makes the uterus a less desirable place for the egg by stopping buildup of the uteral lining.

Manno said Seasonale contains levonorgestrel and ethinyl estradiol, the same estrogen and progestin combination found in most oral contraceptives. Manno compared Seasonale to Nordette, a birth control pill with the same chemical entities that is also on the market. But Seasonale is the only pill that is FDA approved to be taken for 91 days.

Doris Lawyer, administrative nurse of women's health at McKinley Health Center, said it is possible for a woman to take a 28-day regimen for 91 days by continuing to take the active pills.

Lawyer said women who wish to do this need to come to McKinley or speak with their doctor because this does not work for everyone and will not work well with all birth control pills. Some active pills contain a consistent dosage of estrogen and progestin while others have varying levels. She said taking a pill with varying levels of hormones for three months could give the body the message to bleed anyway, and no one should assume which way their pill will work.

Dr. Nancy Fay, who specializes in obstetrics and gynecology at Carle Foundation Hospital, said she would recommend Seasonale to her patients.

"For 20 years now we've been instructing patients to take pills like Seasonale," Fay said.

She said she has prescribed women to take 28-day regimens for 91 days, as with Seasonale, because some women experience extreme pain during their periods and do not want to menstruate as often.

Fay said three months is an acceptable amount of time but anything longer than that could be cause for concern. She said women need to get their period in order to be certain they are not pregnant.

"Women often forget and miss two pills in a row," she said, and missing pills could cause a woman to become pregnant if she is sexually active.

Manno said Seasonale has the same side effects as other birth control pills. These include nausea and headache, along with the risk of more serious side effects (especially for women who smoke) such as blood clots, stroke and heart attack.

Manno said the only difference with Seasonale and other oral contraceptives is that many women experience more breakthrough bleeding during the first three months of taking the contraceptive. Breakthrough bleeding is blood flow that occurs between periods.

"This is normal, and in time it will decrease," she said.

Barr Laboratories will begin detailing Seasonale on Nov. 13, which means they will inform and educate physicians about the contraceptive and distribute three-month samples so physicians can begin to prescribe Seasonale if they choose. Because this has not happened yet, Manno said the demand for Seasonale is not measurable and Barr Laboratories is not expecting demand results until March or April.

McKinley and Carle RxEpress Pharmacy do not yet have Seasonale in stock. Lawyer said McKinley must wait until they receive information on pricing and Roadcap said Carle has not had any requests for Seasonale yet so they have not had to order it.