COMPARATIVE-STUDIES OF 30-MU-G ETHINYL ESTRADIOL COMBINED WITH GESTODENE AND DESOGESTREL ON BLOOD-COAGULATION, FIBRINOLYSIS, AND PLATELETS

An association between an increase in the incidence of thromboembolic disease and the use of combined oral contraceptives has been shown by several epidemiologic studies. Evidence of the vascular complications of oral contraceptives suggests that venous thromboembolism correlates with estrogen dosage and arterial complications with both estrogen and progestogen components. In 60 healthy, randomly allocated women, the effects of ethinyl estradiol, 30 μg, combined with gestodene, 75 μg, and desogestrel, 150 μg, on blood coagulation, fibrinolysis, and platelet function were compared. Subjects were studied before oral contraceptive use, at 12, 24, 36, and 48 weeks of treatment, and at 6 and 12 weeks after treatment. Both oral contraceptives affected the hemostatic system, but our results indicate that the ethinyl estradiol/gestodene combination causes changes in the hemostatic system similar to those in the ethinyl estradiol/desogestrel combination. Factors VII and X activity were slightly higher with the ethinyl estradiol/desogestrel combination than with the ethinyl estradiol/gestodene combination, possibly reflecting a greater estrogenic effect. © 1990.