Metabolic Effects of a Commonly Used Combined Hormonal Oral Contraceptive in Women With and Without Polycystic Ovary Syndrome.

Background: Data on combined hormonal oral contraceptives' (OCs) effects on metabolic changes in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) have been conflicting and were predominantly based on OCs with cyproterone acetate (unavailable in the United States) Most studies did not include normal women as controls. We compared metabolic changes before and after an OC commonly used in the United States between women with and without PCOS.

Methods: Ten PCOS and 20 control women took ethinyl estradiol 35 μg and norgestimate 0.