EFFECTS OF PREVIOUS USE OF ORAL-CONTRACEPTIVES ON EARLY FOLLICULAR PHASE FOLLICLE-STIMULATING-HORMONE

Objective: To determine if previous oral contraceptive (OC) use is associated with changes in early follicular phase FSH, LH or E(2). Design: A cross-sectional study examining determinants of early follicular phase hormone levels. Subjects: Subjects included 106 premenopausal women with a family history of ovarian cancer and 116 premenopausal women without this history who were not taking OCs currently. All subjects completed a structured interview and gave an early follicular phase blood sample. Setting: Gynecologic Epidemiology Center and Familial Ovarian Cancer Research Center. Main Outcome Measures: Follicle-stimulating hormone, LH, and E(2) were measured in early follicular phase plasma samples. Results: Recency or length of prior OC use did not affect early follicular phase LH or E(2) levels. Length of OC use did not affect FSH levels in all subjects; but lower levels of FSH were observed in women over age 45 who had used OCs for >5 years. Early follicular phase FSH is lower in women with OC use within the past 5 years compared with women with more remote use or who never used OCs, after adjustment for age, smoking, and family history status. Conclusions: Past use of OCs may have a residual effect on basal FSH levels in women not using them currently that depends on recency of use and to a lesser extent duration of prior use.