Serious ill effects have not been reported following acute ingestion of large doses of oral contraceptives by young children. Overdosage may cause nausea and withdrawal bleeding may occur in females.

Non-Contraceptive Health Benefits

The following non-contraceptive health benefits related to the use of combination oral contraceptives are supported by epidemiological studies which largely utilized oral contraceptive formulations containing estrogen doses exceeding 0.035 mg of ethinyl estradiol or 0.05 mg mestranol.^73-78

Effects on menses:

• Increased menstrual cycle regularity.
• Decreased blood loss and decreased incidence of iron deficiency anemia.
• Decreased incidence of dysmenorrhea.

Effects related to inhibition of ovulation:

• Decreased incidence of functional ovarian cysts.
• Decreased incidence of ectopic pregnancies.

Other effects:

• Decreased incidence of fibroadenomas and fibrocystic disease of the breast.
• Decreased incidence of acute pelvic inflammatory disease.
• Decreased incidence of endometrial cancer.
• Decreased incidence of ovarian cancer.

Oral contraceptives should not be used in women who currently have the following conditions:

• Thrombophlebitis or thromboembolic disorders.
• A past history of deep vein thrombophlebitis or thromboembolic disorders.
• Cerebral vascular or coronary artery disease.
• Known or suspected carcinoma of the breast.
• Carcinoma of the endometrium or other known or suspected estrogen-dependent neoplasia.
• Undiagnosed abnormal genital bleeding.
• Cholestatic jaundice of pregnancy or jaundice with prior pill use.
• Hepatic adenomas or carcinomas.
• Known or suspected pregnancy.

REFERENCES

73. The Cancer and Steroid Hormone Study of the Centers for Disease Control and the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development: Oral contraceptive use and the risk of ovarian cancer. JAMA 1983; 249:1596-1599.

74. The Cancer and Steroid Hormone Study of the Centers for Disease Control and the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development: Combination oral contraceptive use and the risk of endometrial cancer. JAMA 1987; 257:796-800.

75. Ory HW. Functional ovarian cysts and oral contraceptives: negative association confirmed surgically. JAMA 1974; 228:68-69.

76. Ory HW, Cole P, MacMahon B, Hoover R. Oral contraceptives and reduced risk of benign breast disease. N Engl J Med 1976; 294:419-422.

77. Ory HW. The noncontraceptive health benefits from oral contraceptive use. Fam Plann Perspect 1982; 14:182-184.

78. Ory HW, Forrest JD, Lincoln R. Making choices: evaluating the health risks and benefits of birth control methods. New York, The Alan Guttmacher Institute, 1983; p. 1.

Last reviewed on RxList: 12/10/2008
This monograph has been modified to include the generic and brand name in many instances.