Carbohydrate metabolic studies during twelve months of treatment with a low-dose combination oral contraceptive
Ramamoorthy, R.; Saraswathi, T.P.; Kanaka, T.S.
Contraception 40(5): 563-569
1989
ISSN/ISBN: 0010-7824 PMID: 2692964 DOI: 10.1016/0010-7824(89)90128-5Document Number: 367615
Carbohydrate metabolism was evaluated in 20 health women volunteers using a low-dose combination oral contraceptive (OC) containing 30 mcg ethinyl estradiol +500 mcg of dl-norgestrel by measurement of serum glucose and insulin levels during a 3-hour oral glucose tolerant test (OGTT). The test was conducted before and after 3, 6, and 12 months of medication. There were no significant differences in body weight or blood pressure between pretreatment and posttreatment levels. Fasting serum glucose levels were slightly reduced, although not significantly, during all periods of treatment. But serum glucose levels were increased at 1, 2, and 3 hours in association with high insulin responses during OGTT in all periods of OC therapy, indicating mild to moderate insulin resistance. These data suggest that the low-dose combination OC used in the study exerts alterations on carbohydrate metabolism in women during 1 year of OC use.