The influence of oral contraceptives on hormonal and metabolic homeostasis in young adolescents.

In order to evaluate the effects of oral contraceptives on metabolic and endocrine function in teenagers, Norinyl 1/50 was begun in 46 12-17-year-old girls after a 16-hour-fasting blood sample was obtained for glucose, insulin, glucagon, growth hormone, luteinizing hormone, follicle-stimulating hormone, thyroid-stimulating hormone, prolactin, gluconeogenic substrates, total lipids, and cholesterol. Sampling was repeated at 6 and 12 months of therapy. Of the 46 patients enrolled in the study, 23 returned for follow-up after 6 months, and 13 completed the study. Blood sampling after 6 and 12 months of therapy demonstrated no significant changes (p greater than 0.05). Our results suggest that there were no changes in the metabolic or endocrine functions studied at 6 and 12 months on a medium-dose contraceptive agent.