Serum bile acids in women taking combination contraceptives.

ABSTRACT

PIP: 60 women attending family welfare clinics in India were recruited for a longitudinal study designed to test for changes in serum bile acids after oral combination contraceptives were administered which contained either 30 or 50 mcg of ethinyl estradiol. The women were divided into 2 groups according to the drug (dose) ingested, and fasting venous blood was collected between Day 10 and 20 of the menstrual cycle. Blood collection was repeated at either 1, 3, or 6 months after taking pills, and all women were again followed-up at 12 months. The serum bile acids (cholic acid conjugates) were measured by radioimmunassay. The sensitivity of the assay was .06 mcmol/liter. Recovery studies were carried out by adding cold glycocholic acid and recovery was 95%. The interassay coefficient of variation for a plasma pool with a concentration of 1.68 mcmol/liter was 5.4%, whereas the intrassay coefficient was 6.2%. Serum bile levels in women taking the combined preparations showed no significant changes in the levels, up to 12 months of intake, in both groups.