My girlfriend found a once a month birth control pill in China. The
English part of the packaging lists the contents as "Levonorgestrel
and Quinestrol tablets" and directs her to take one tablet per month.
Since I've never heard of this type of product in the US, I want to
know if it's 1) effective in preventing pregnancy and 2) safe for her
health.

Dear Atkruse, 

A combination of Levonorgestrel and Quinestrol could be used for birth
control. It is a hormonal combination known to pervent pregnancy.
However, I would strongly advise against using these pills without
consulting a physician, of the following reasons:

(1) (Possible) side effects of Levonorgestrel and Quinestrol.
Levonorgestrel is a form of progesterone (a female hormone involved in
conception). Quinestrol is a form of estrogen. Both could adversly
affect the blood system (clotting, blood pressure), and therefore
blood tests (or at least consulting with a physician who knows one's
health problems) are required before taking it. There are naturally
other possible side effects, and there are also drugs that shouldn't
be taken while taking any of these. See for side effects:

Drugs.com "levonorgestrel Drug information" 
<http://www.drugs.com/MTM/levonorgestrel.html> 

Drugs.com, "Quinestrol drug information"
<http://www.drugs.com/cons/Quinestrol.html> 

(2) Problems with a Chinese drug containing the same combination,
reported by the World Health Organisation (WHO):

"Once-a-month oral contraceptive tablets, manufactured in China, were
also widely available and were reported to have very high rates of
side-effects. These pills contain large doses of estrogen; most pills
contain 12 mg of levonorgestrel and 3 mg of quinestrol. In addition,
several years ago a WHO toxicology review panel refused to allow
studies of quinestranol on the grounds of inadequate toxicological
data regarding its safety." The WHO summarises that "The use of the
long acting (once-a-month) oral contraceptive tablet should be
discouraged."

(SOURCE: World Health Organisation, "Conclusions and Recommendations",
of _An assessment of the contraceptive method mix in Myanmar_,
<http://www.who.int/reproductive-health/publications/HRP_ITT_97_1/HRP_ITT_97_1_7.en.html>).

I hope this answers your question. Please contact me if you need any
clarification on this answer before you rate it. Search terms:
Quinestrol   levonorgestrel

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Request for Answer Clarification by atkruse-ga on 26 Oct 2005 03:22 PDT

Can you provide any additional information regarding effectiveness in
preventing pregnancy?

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Clarification of Answer by politicalguru-ga on 26 Oct 2005 11:35 PDT

I'm afraid that I haven't been able to find any clinical studies
regarding the effectiveness of this combination in preventing
pregnancy, especially when taken once a month (it also depends on
dosage). However, this is a known combination, in some dosages, for
contraceptives.

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Request for Answer Clarification by atkruse-ga on 27 Oct 2005 06:50 PDT

Can you provide your source for it being a "known combination" and any
related results? (My medication is 6mg Levonorgestrel and 3mg
Quinestrol).

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Clarification of Answer by politicalguru-ga on 27 Oct 2005 10:43 PDT

See, e.g.: 

Henry Wormser , Biochemistry of gonadal hormones 
<http://wiz2.pharm.wayne.edu/biochem/sexhormones.ppt> 

Please note again, that the exact dosage you've mentioned is the one
advised against by the WHO.

For another side effect I've found: 
" Acne is more likely a side effect with pills containing norgestrel
and levonorgestrel as progestin components."
(SOURCE: MBC 3320 Estrogens and progestins,
<http://www.neurosci.pharm.utoledo.edu/MBC3320/estrogens.htm>).

Answers my question about health but not the effectiveness of this
combination in a once/month dose.