Abstract

PIP: The effect of various contraceptive hormonal therapies was studied in 176 women with normal and diabetic oral glucose tolerance tests (OGTTs). 160 women showed normal and 16 showed diabetic patterns on the 14th day of a control cycle, during the 3rd and 6th months of contraceptive therapy, and 3 months after having stopped medication. The women were divided into groups and fitted with a Lippes loop, treated with low doses of chlormadinone acetate, lynestrenol, and megestrol acetate or with a sequential estrogen-progestogen contraceptive containing either ethinyl estradiol or mestranol. The only groups showing modifications of OGTTs were the sequential estrogen-progestogen groups, where the OGTT curves of the normal groups became abnormal while those of the diabetic group improved. The modifications disappeared 3 months after discontinuation of the medication which can be interpreted as a direct effect of the steroids on carbohydrate metabolism.