Effects of previous use of oral contraceptives on early follicular phase follicle-stimulating hormone.
OBJECTIVE
To determine if previous oral contraceptive (OC) use is associated with changes in early follicular phase FSH, LH or E2.


METHODS
A cross-sectional study examining determinants of early follicular phase hormone levels.


METHODS
Subjects included 106 premenopausal women with a family history of ovarian cancer and 116 premenopausal women without this history who were not taking OCs currently. All subjects completed a structured interview and gave an early follicular phase blood sample.


METHODS
Gynecologic Epidemiology Center and Familial Ovarian Cancer Research Center.


METHODS
Follicle-stimulating hormone, LH, and E2 were measured in early follicular phase plasma samples.


RESULTS
Recency or length of prior OC use did not affect early follicular phase LH or E2 levels. Length of OC use did not affect FSH levels in all subjects; but lower levels of FSH were observed in women over age 45 who had used OCs for > 5 years. Early follicular phase FSH is lower in women with OC use within the past 5 years compared with women with more remote use or who never used OCs, after adjustment for age, smoking, and family history status.


CONCLUSIONS
Past use of OCs may have a residual effect on basal FSH levels in women not using them currently that depends on recency of use and to a lesser extent duration of prior use.
Barbieri
R L
RL
Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Biology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA.
Gao
X
X
Xu
H
H
Cramer
D W
DW
D000328:Adult; D003276:Contraceptives, Oral / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004958:Estradiol / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000097:blood*; D005498:Follicular Phase / Q000097:blood* / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone / Q000097:blood; D008499:Medical Records; D008875:Middle Aged; D013997:Time Factors
D003276:Contraceptives, Oral; D004958:Estradiol; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone