A long-term study of the hematological and metabolic effects of a low-dose monophasic oral contraceptive containing gestodene

This long-term metabolic and hemorheological study investigated the effects of monophasic contraceptive treatment with 30 μg ethinylestradiol/75 μg gestodene in 20 healthy young women. No modifications of arterial blood pressure levels, blood/plasma serum viscosity and erythrocyte deformability were demonstrated during the study. Likewise, α₂-macroglobulin serum concentrations and hemostatic parameters (fibrinogen, fibronectin, antithrom-biti III, Von Willebrand factor antigen) remained unchanged in the 2-year follow-up period. Concerning the metabolic action of oral contraception on lipid, lipoprotein and apolipoprotein patterns, no significant variations of high-density lipoprotein (HDL)-, low-density lipoprotein (LDL)-, very low density lipoprotein (VLDL)-cholesterol, triglyceride, non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA), LDL-, HDL-, VLDL-lipoprotein and apolipoprotein A-I, A and B levels werefound throughout the 24 months of treatment with the monophasic pill. No differences for each parameter studied were observed at the end of the study between women treated with oral contraceptives and a matched group of healthy controls. The gestodene/ethinylestradiol monophasic combination may therefore represent an important therapeutic approach in order to avoid metabolic and cardiovascular complications during long-term hormonal contraception.