Abstract
Background
This study was conducted to examine the effect of oral contraceptives on endogenous
reproductive hormone levels in order to assess the suitability of oral contraceptive
users as experimental and/or control groups in human performance studies.
Study Design
Ninety-five females who were taking a variety of oral contraceptives (2 types and
11 brands) were recruited. A single blood sample was analysed for endogenous concentrations
of oestradiol and progesterone.
Results
There were significant differences (p<.05) in circulating oestradiol and progesterone
as a result of oral contraceptive type and brand. Overall, oral contraceptive use
resulted in low levels of oestradiol and progesterone and large variation in hormone
concentration when multiple brands were analysed together.
Conclusion
This study indicates that future studies should employ a single pill type and brand
when using oral contraceptive users as either a control or experimental group and
that comparison between oral contraceptive users as a control group and the early
follicular phase of the menstrual cycle as an experimental group should be reconsidered.
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: December 10, 2012
Accepted:
November 30,
2012
Received in revised form:
November 30,
2012
Received:
May 9,
2012
Footnotes
☆No funding was received for this study.
Identification
Copyright
© 2013 Elsevier Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
