Hepatic Effects of Oral Contraceptives

Abstract

BOTH the estrogen and progestogen in most of the oral contraceptive agents are 17-α-alkyl-substituted steroids.¹ Because compounds of this structure may produce cholestasis^{2 , 3} it is not surprising that disturbed liver function has been reported in patients using oral contraceptives. The purpose of this report is to review the subject of the hepatic dysfunction induced by these agents, and to consider both the possible pathogenesis of the disturbance and its clinical implications.Clinical ReportsAbout 40 cases of jaundice attributed to 5 different oral contraceptives have been reported. Although most of the initial reports were from Scandinavia^{4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12} reports from England,^{13 , 14} Canada, . . .