Family Planning Center Research Articles

RHEUMATIC DISEASE, ABNORMAL SEROLOGY, AND ORAL CONTRACEPTIVES

A prospective study was undertaken concerning the development of rheumatic complaints and altered serology in a group of women using oral contraceptives (o.c.) in comparison with a similar group of women using non-hormonal means of contraception. 215 women newly registered at a family-planning centre were seen at their first visit and at approximately 2, 8, 14, and 20 months. 115 of the women were followed for an average of 16 months. 80 of these women were using o.c. and 35 (non-o.c.) were employing other methods. Blood-samples taken at all visits and examined for antinuclear antibodies, L.E. cells, rheumatoid factor, hæmolytic complement level, and erythrocyte-sedimentation rate showed no evidence of altered serology in the o.c. or non-o.c. groups. None of the patients developed rheumatic complaints. The results obtained fail to demonstrate that normal women using o.c. are at a greater risk of developing rheumatic symptoms or serological changes than a similar group of non-users.

Eye Examinations in Patients Taking Oral Contraceptives

For proper evaluative criteria on the possible opthalmologic effects of oral contraceptives data were collected on patients both prior to and during therapy at the New York Medical College Family Planning Center. The subjects of the study included 611 patients examined prior to therapy and 305 women examined from 1 to 3 years after starting medication. All were from the lower socioeconomic levels the great majority being of Puerto Rican and Negro extraction. Ocular abnormalities were found to occur in the control group with an unanticipated frequency. Approximately 25% of all patients in all groups had an entirely normal examination. Over half of both the control and the various therapy groups were observed to have at least 1 remarkable finding of the lens. No statistically significant changes were noted between the control and therapy groups. None of the severe eye damage previously reported by others was noted in this study.

Sources of Referral to a Los Angeles Family Planning Center

Sources of Referral to a Los Angeles Family Planning Center