A woman starts Centchroman (Saheli) as her routine oral contraceptive. After the initial loading phase, what is the correct maintenance schedule she must follow?

• A One tablet daily throughout the cycle
• B One tablet daily for 21 days followed by a 7-day break
• C One tablet weekly from the start, continued indefinitely
• D Two tablets per week for the first 12 weeks, then one tablet weekly thereafter ✓

Explanation

Centchroman is taken twice weekly for the first 12 weeks, after which maintenance continues with one tablet per week on a fixed day, independent of menstruation. Option B describes the combined pill regimen, not centchroman. Starting with a single weekly tablet from the outset (option C) gives inadequate initial suppression, and daily dosing (option A) is unnecessary and incorrect for this non-steroidal antioestrogenic agent.

Reference: Park's Textbook of Preventive and Social Medicine, 27th ed.

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