Results of a study to determine the effects of three oral contraceptives on serum lipoprotein levels.

A multicenter, double-blind investigation with random allocations of subjects to Ortho-Novum 1/50 tablets, Ortho-Novum 1/35 tablets, or Modicon tablets (Ortho Pharmaceutical Corporation, Raritan, NJ) was conducted. Each subject remained on the same oral contraceptive (OC) for at least four cycles. Serum high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, triglyceride, and cholesterol were measured prior to the initiation of OC therapy and were repeated after treatment cycles 2 and 4. There were no significant changes in HDL, LDL, or serum cholesterol levels. Triglyceride levels increased but remained significant only with the lowest dose product. These were no significant differences among the three drugs for the four parameters studied.