Effect of a low-dose ethinylestradiol and gestodene in combination on the frequency of micronuclei in human peripheral blood lymphocytes of healthy women in vivo

Abstract

Background Since most oral hormonal contraceptives contain a fixed combination of ethinylestradiol and gestodene as an estrogenic/progestogenic component, we decided to evaluate the possible mutagenic effect of a low-dose contraceptive pills containing 20 μg ethinylestradiol and 75 μg gestodene. Methods A total of 30 healthy women received hormonal contraception during six consecutive menstrual cycles. A single daily dose was 20 μg ethinylestradiol and 75 μg gestodene. The pills were taken orally in a monthly cycle of 3 weeks on and 1 week off. In the investigation of the mutagenic effect of these contraceptive pills in vivo, the cytokinesis block micronucleus (CBMN) test was used, and the frequency of micronuclei (MN) in peripheral blood lymphocytes was determined. Results Average MN frequency in women before therapy was 7.40 ± 0.75 MN/1000 analyzed cells, and after therapy was 7.37 ± 0.59 MN/1000 analyzed cells (p > 0.05). Conclusion Our data suggest that oral contraception with 20 μg ethinylestradiol and 75 μg gestodene in combination during six consecutive menstrual cycles does not induce micronuclei in peripheral blood lymphocytes of women.