Effect of ethynodiol diacetate and combination--type oral contraceptive compounds on carbohydrate metabolism. I. Six month intravenous glucose tolerance study.

In order to evaluate long-term effects of different types of oral contraceptive compounds, blood glucose and plasma insulin levels were measured during an intravenous glucose tolerance test in 2 groups of normal, nondiabetic patients: 36 women using a progesterone-alone oral contraceptive, ethynodiol diacetate, and 36 women using a combination-type drug, containing norethynodrel and mestranol. Each patient was tested before and after 6 months of treatment. There were no significant differences from pre-treatment glucose and insulin values in the first group of women (on ethynodiol diacetate). In the second group (on norethynodrel and mestranol), there was a significant elevation of mean blood glucose levels at 15, 30 and 120 min of the glucose tolerance test. Nevertheless, a significant elevation of plasma insulin was seen only at 60 min of the test. Patients participating in this study will continue this treatment, and monitoring of carbohydrate metabolism is contemplated over a period of several years.