Effects of steroidal contraceptives on gallbladder: a review
Kenya, P.R.
East African Medical Journal 67(9): 661-666
1990
ISSN/ISBN: 0012-835X PMID: 2253576 Document Number: 357631
More than 10 controlled epidemiologic studies are reported and reviewed in this paper which examine gallbladder disease and oral contraceptive (OC) use. Findings concerning an association between the 2 are contradictory. OC use and the use of estrogens in postmenopausal women have been reported to be associated with increased attack rates of gallbladder disease, but the increased risk in higher in those women using estrogens than progestin-based OCs. Other studies, however, have reported little overall effect of OC use on the development of gallbladder disease. Where increased risk has been documented, it has been related more to duration. The increased risk of gallbladder disease related to OC use has been observed to be higher within the 6-12 month range of usage. Only 1 study reported increased risk of gallbladder disease in longterm users. The increase may be greater in multiparae than nulliparae; pregnancy and obesity may also pose an increased risk to the disease in OC users. However, these findings are not widely accepted.