Effect of a low-dose ethinylestradiol and gestodene in combination on the frequency of micronuclei in human peripheral blood lymphocytes of healthy women in vivo.
BACKGROUND
Since most oral hormonal contraceptives contain a fixed combination of ethinylestradiol and gestodene as an estrogenic/progestogenic component, we decided to evaluate the possible mutagenic effect of a low-dose contraceptive pills containing 20 microg ethinylestradiol and 75 microg gestodene.


METHODS
A total of 30 healthy women received hormonal contraception during six consecutive menstrual cycles. A single daily dose was 20 microg ethinylestradiol and 75 microg gestodene. The pills were taken orally in a monthly cycle of 3 weeks on and 1 week off. In the investigation of the mutagenic effect of these contraceptive pills in vivo, the cytokinesis block micronucleus (CBMN) test was used, and the frequency of micronuclei (MN) in peripheral blood lymphocytes was determined.


RESULTS
Average MN frequency in women before therapy was 7.40 +/- 0.75 MN/1000 analyzed cells, and after therapy was 7.37 +/- 0.59 MN/1000 analyzed cells (p > 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Our data suggest that oral contraception with 20 microg ethinylestradiol and 75 microg gestodene in combination during six consecutive menstrual cycles does not induce micronuclei in peripheral blood lymphocytes of women.
Loncar
Dragan
D
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Medical Center and Clinic, Kragujevac, Serbia and Montenegro.
Milosević-Djordjević
Olivera
O
Zivanović
Aleksandar
A
Grujicić
Darko
D
Arsenijević
Slobodan
S
D000328:Adult; D003277:Contraceptives, Oral, Combined / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004997:Ethinyl Estradiol / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects*; D048629:Micronuclei, Chromosome-Defective / Q000187:drug effects*; D009652:Norpregnenes / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D011446:Prospective Studies
D003277:Contraceptives, Oral, Combined; D009652:Norpregnenes; C033273:Gestodene; D004997:Ethinyl Estradiol