Effects Of Contraceptive Steroids Research Articles

The effect of contraceptive steroids on hypothalamic-pituitary function

A study was performed to obtain additional information about the effects of oral contraceptives on pituitary function. A sequential pituitary stimulation test (SST) was used to study normal control women who then received either a combination pill with 50 μg of ethinyl estradiol or an injectable or oral progestin for three weeks, after which the test was repeated. The same test was also performed on five long-term oral contraceptive users. The SST consists of measurement of growth hormone (GH), thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), prolactin (PRL), luteinizing hormone (LH), and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) at frequent intervals after stimulation by hypoglycemia, thyrotropin-releasing hormone, and gonadotropin-releasing hormone. GH and TSH release following stimulation were unaffected by the use of contraceptive steroids, while PRL release was increased by both the combination pill and the progestin alone. LH and FSH release was decreased in the three short-term and most of the long-term users of the combination pills but was not decreased in two of the long-term users as well as in those receiving the progestin alone. These results indicate that the combination oral contraceptives have a direct effect upon the pituitary gland, causing an increase in prolactin release and a decrease in gonadotropin release. This effect varies among individuals receiving the same formulation and may be related to the development of the syndrome of postpill amenorrhea-galactorrhea.

Effect of contraceptive steroids on human lactation

Biochemical studies to detect changes occurring in the composition of mother's milk from the initiation of proper lactation to weaning were done in a group of 36 postpartum women, volunteers who were eitherusing the conventional contraceptives or taking a low-dose combination pill, a low-dose progestational compound, or a 3 or 6 monthly injection as a mode of contraception. Apart from a significant increase in the protein content of milk and a slight increase in the quantity, the 3 monthly injection group behaved exactly like the control. On the other hand, the 6 monthly injection group showed a significant increase in quantity but with a significant decrease in protein, fats, and calcium. The low-dosage progestogens group showed a significant decrease in the quantity of fats and the calcium content of milk, but, surprisingly, the addition of 10 micrograms of estrogens to the low-dosage progestogen indicated a pattern almost similar to the control.

Effect of Contraceptive Steroids on the Endometrium of Guinea Pig: SEM study

Burgos and Wislocki described changes in the mucosa of the guinea pig uterus, cervix and vagina during the estrous cycle investigated by transmission electron microscopy. More recently, Moghissi and Reame reported the effects of progestational agents on the human female reproductive tract. They found drooping and shortening of cilia in norgestrel and norethindrone- treated endometria. To the best of our knowledge, no studies concerning the effects of mestranol and norethindrone given concurrently on the three-dimensional surface features on the uterine mucosa of the guinea pig have been reported. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of mestranol and norethindrone on surface ultrastructure of guinea pig uterus by SEM.Seventy eight animals were used in this study. They were allocated into two groups. Group 1 (20 animals) was injected intramuscularly 0.1 ml vegetable oil and served as controls.

Lithogenic Bile after Conjugated Estrogen

Reference is made to a previous paper by Bennion et al. describing t he effects of contraceptive steroids on the lipid composition of gall bladder bile. A similar rise in cholesterol saturation of hepatic bile was observed after giving conjugated equine estrogens (.5 mg/kg) to 7 fa sting patients with indwelling T-tubes. Liver function tests were norma l and bile culture was negative. 1 ml of hepatic bile was collected aft er 6, 12, and 24 hours for lipid determinations. The administration of estrogens promptly produced lithogenic hepatic bile. The effect was tra nsient with the lithogenic index returning to normal at 24 hours. 3 day s previous to this investigation hepatic bile had been normal. In a pre vious study a reduced biliary concentration of bile acids had been found in rats exposed to estradiol.

Effects of oral contraceptives on the gallbladder bile of normal women.

In view of the reported association between use of oral contraceptives and gallbladder disease, the effects of contraceptive steroids on the lipid composition of gallbladder bile were studied in 22 healthy women. Each subject was studied during routine use of oral contraceptives and also during normal menstrual cycles on no medication. Gallbladder bile was significantly more saturated with cholesterol during contraceptive therapy than during normal menstrual cycling (125 versus 92 per cent, P less than 0.001). Chenodeoxycholic acid accounted for a significantly smaller proportion (35 versus 42 per cent P less than 0.001) and cholic acid a significantly greater proportion (50 versus 41 per cent (P less than 0.001) of total bile acids during contraceptive steroid therapy. These findings show that exogenous sex steroids in doses and formulations routinely prescribed induce important alterations in the composition of human gallbladder bile, and suggest a biochemical basis for the increase in gallbladder disease observed among women using oral contraceptives.

Effect of contraceptive steroids on arginine-stimulated glucagon and insulin secretion in women. II. Carbohydrate and lipid physiology in insulin-dependent diabetics

The effect of contraceptive steroids on aminogenic glucagon secretion was studied in six insulin-dependent diabetic women. After 2 wk treatment with combined mestranol (80 μg) plus norethindrone (1 mg) daily, the mean peak plasma glucagon response to arginine infusion was suppressed to one-fourth of control levels. This was associated with a small but significant decrease in mean basal plasma cholesterol concentrations. There were no changes in basal plasma triglyceride, free fatty acid, glucose, insulin, or α-amino nitrogen concentrations or in daily insulin requirements during mestranol plus norethindrone treatment. These results confirm previous reports of no consistent changes in the insulin requirements of insulin-dependent diabetic women using contraceptive steroids and suggest that these women may not experience dramatic changes in their lipid metabolism during contraceptive therapy.

Contraceptive steroid toxicology in the Beagle dog and its relevance to human carcinogenicity

Problems associated with the use of the Beagle dog in chronic toxicological studies of contraceptive steroids are described. A short review is presented on the occurrence of spontaneous tumours in dogs and in bitches of various breeds. The current status of knowledge of canine reproductive hormones and endocrinology is outlined, together with effects of contraceptive steroids. The pathology and histological classification of spontaneous and induced mammary neoplasia in the dog is discussed and compared with breast cancer in women. A series of recommendations are included for future research in this field which it is hoped may resolve some of the outstanding issues and lead to a more suitable toxicological model for contraceptive steroids.

Effect of contraceptive steroids on serum lipids

Serum triglycerides, free fatty acids, phospholipids, and cholesterol were estimated in groups of women who were taking either norgestrel, megestrol acetate, daily combination tablet, once-a-month pill, or once-a-month injection as a method of contraception. These estimations were done prior to and during therapy at specific times over a period of 2 years. A significant reduction in serum lipids was observed in women taking norgestrel. The women on megestrol acetate showed practically no changes. All the lipid fractions were significantly elevated in women taking combination pills. Raised serum cholesterol was observed in women receiving once-a-month injection.

SOME METABOLIC ACTIONS AND POSSIBLE TOXIC EFFECTS OF HORMONAL CONTRACEPTIVES IN ANIMALS AND MAN

ABSTRACT Data on contraceptive steroids derived from properly conducted and interpreted animal studies can serve to predict effects that may be expected to occur in women. Important also is the absence of certain effects of the steroids in both animals and man. Since the drugs are for human use it is necessary that adequate clinical studies be conducted to confirm the predictions made regarding effectiveness and safety. Selected topics of importance are discussed to summarize our knowledge in specific areas and to illustrate correlations between the effects of contraceptive steroids in animals and in women.

Metabolic effects of contraceptive steroids.

Some of the metabolic effects of oral contraceptives (OCs) as they are understood today are described. Carbohydrate metabolism studies indicate that glycometabolic effects such as diabetes depend on the nature of the steroid the amount administered and the susceptibility of the individual. Lipid metabolism has been reported to affect 95% of women on OCs. When estrogens and progestins are used together there appear to be inconsistent effects on circulating cholesterol but triglyceride levels always increase. These changes are considered great because of contraversies concerning the epidemiological association of arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease and hyperlipoproteinemia. Besides increasing plasma proteins OCs have been found to induce a disturbance of tryptophan metabolism suggestive of vitamin-B6 depletion. It is advised to use caution in patients with a history of liver disease and to discontinue the OC if signs of hepatic dysfunction develop. Only a very small percentage of women on OCs experience any change in blood pressure. The effects of OCs on the vascular system are of special importance because they are often nonreversible in that there in the danger of death secondary to pulmonary emboli. The risk of thromboembolism with 150 mcg of estrogen is almost double that expected with 100 mcg which is 20% above that expected and with 75 and 50 mcg the risk is 18 and 21% below that expected.

The effect of contraceptive steroids on endometrial sinusoids and the failure of these changes to correlate with breakthrough bleeding or systemic vascular effects

The occurrence of dilated sinusoids in human endometrium is associated with prolonged exposure to progestational agents, orally or parenterally. No clearcut dose-related response could be demonstrated, and the changes were apparently unaffected by various levels of concomitant estrogenic stimulation. There was no correlation between this histological feature and the frequency of clinically observed breakthrough bleeding. There was no association with any subjective symptoms which could be classified as of peripheral vascular origin.

Clinical, biochemical, and experimental studies on lactation: IV. Quantitative and qualitative changes induced in goat's milk by gestagens

A study was planned on the effect of contraceptive steroids on milk yield and composition in goats after established lactation. The goats were classified into six groups: Group I received no medication and was considered as a control group. Group II was given Deladroxate injections. Groups III and IV received Lyndiol 2.5 and Lyndiol 1.0, respectively. Group V received lynestrenol 0.5 mg. alone and Group VI, mestranol 0.1 mg. alone. The milk yield per 24 hours was found to decrease in all groups, the drop amounting to 42 per cent in the control group, 71.6 per cent in Group II, 60 per cent in Group III, 52 per cent in Group IV, 55.6 per cent in Group V, and 56 per cent in Group VI. The growth rate of the kids in Groups II, III, and IV was lower than that in the control group. The milk fat and proteins dropped gradually. This was most marked in medicated groups. Milk lactose showed minor variations, while the changes in the inorganic constitutents were inconsistent, varying between increment and decrement. These results confirm the previous findings in women, that gestagens exert an adverse effect on the quantity and quality of milk when they are orally or parenterally administered during lactation.

Effect of contraceptive steroids on monoamine oxidase activity

Cyclical variations in monoamine oxidase activity during the human menstrual cycle, specific to the endometrium and modified in women undergoing contraceptive steroid treatment, may reflect changes in hormonal environment. Treatment of rats with individual constituents of the contraceptive pill causes analogous changes: oestrogens inhibit and progestogens potentiate uterine monoamine oxidase activity.

Effects of contraceptive steroids on carbohydrate metabolism.

ABSTRACT. To further define the association of impaired glucose tolerance tests (GTT) and the administration of contraceptive steroids, 23 healthy nonobese women were selected for this study. Twelve subjects received cyclic ethinyl estradiol (100 μg) for the first 16 days, followed by dimethisterone (25 mg) plus ethinyl estradiol for 5 days. Eleven subjects received cyclic ethinyl estradiol 3-methyl ether (100 μg) plus ethynodiol diacetate (1 mg) for 20 days. Both oral and iv GTT were performed before and during the third cycle of treatment. The effects on carbohydrate metabolism were evaluated by means of statistical analysis of absolute and per cent changes in the paired samples of blood glucose, serum insulin and serum growth hormone (HGH) levels during the 2-hr tests. In addition, the area under the curves (area unit) was measured and used as an index for comparing relative quantitative changes. Our data indicate that both oral and iv GTT remain unchanged, but it was associated with a state of relativ...