One-hour glucose tolerance in relation to the use of contraceptive drugs

Abstract

One-hour glucose tolerance tests on 4,815 women of reproductive age having multiphasic health checkups were cross-sectionally analyzed in relation to the use of contraceptive drugs. One-hour serum glucose levels were found to be higher in women taking a contraceptive drug than in others. The mean difference between pill users and nonusers of like age was 11 mg. per 100 ml. There was no observable variation in the glucose response of women taking oral contraceptives associated with the formulation and steroid components of the drug used or the duration of use. The effect of the contraceptive drugs on one-hour glucose tolerance was found to be additive to the effects of age, obesity, and a family history of diabetes. No discernible difference in glucose response was found between past users of contraceptive drugs and “never users,” regardless of the duration of use or the interval since discontinuation.