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Clinical Trial
. 1995 Dec;52(6):357-61.
doi: 10.1016/0010-7824(95)00228-6.

Ovarian activity suppression by two different low-dose triphasic oral contraceptives

J van der Does  1 , N Exalto, T Dieben, H C Bennink
Affiliations
Clinical Trial

Ovarian activity suppression by two different low-dose triphasic oral contraceptives

J van der Does et al. Contraception. 1995 Dec.

Abstract

In an open, randomized study in an outpatient clinic of a large teaching hospital, thirty-one female volunteers with regular cycles and established ovulation by ultrasonography were given one of two triphasic oral contraceptives containing ethinylestradiol combined with levonorgestrel or desogestrel during six cycles of treatment. The main outcome measures were transvaginal ultrasonography and serum E2 and P measurements in pill cycles 1, 3 and 6. No ovarian activity was found in 10 subjects. Among the remaining 21 women who showed ovarian activity, most follicle-like structures developed in the pill-free week and decreased in size or disappeared in the first pill week. One women taking triphasic desogestrel had evidence of a luteinized unruptured follicle and one women taking triphasic levonorgestrel had a possible ovulation. The latter women also showed symptoms of lower abdominal pain. A statistically significant difference in ovarian activity between the two oral contraceptives could not be established. The two triphasic oral contraceptives suppressed ovarian activity to the same degree. A trend was seen towards increasing ovarian activity with duration of use in both treatment groups.

PIP: Oral contraceptives (OC) have an inhibitory effect upon ovarian activity and the quality of cervical mucus and endometrium. Low-dose OCs, however, do not completely suppress ovarian function. This study was conducted to compare ovarian activity over a 6-month period during treatment with two low-dose triphasic OCs containing ethinylestradiol combined with levonorgestrel or desogestrel. 31 female volunteers aged 20-35 years with regular cycles and established ovulation were given one of the OCs over 6 cycles of treatment. Main outcome measures were transvaginal ultrasonography and serum E(2) and P measurements in pill cycles 1, 3, and 6. No ovarian activity was found in 10 subjects. Among the remaining women who showed ovarian activity, most follicle-like structures, indicative of ovarian activity, developed during the pill-free week and decreased in size or disappeared during the first pill week. One woman taking triphasic desogestrel had evidence of a luteinized unruptured follicle, while one woman taking triphasic levonorgestrel had a possible ovulation. This latter woman also showed signs of lower abdominal back pain. No statistically significant difference in ovarian activity could be established between the two OCs, with the two contraceptives suppressing ovarian activity to the same degree. A trend was seen toward increasing ovarian activity with duration of use in both treatment groups.

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