Oral contraceptives and reproductive factors in multiple sclerosis incidence.

Data from the Oxford.FPA prospective study show that oral contraceptive use and pregnancy have no discernible effect on the risk of developing multiple sclerosis (MS). Women of parity 0-2 developed MS twice as often as women of parity 3 or more but the difference did not reach statistical significance.

Epidemiology of endometriosis in women attending family planning clinics.

Objective: To describe the epidemiology of endometriosis in women attending family planning clinics with special reference to contraceptive methods.

Design: Non-randomised cohort study with follow up of subjects for up to 23 years. Disease was measured by first hospital admission rates since endometriosis can be diagnosed with accuracy only at laparotomy or laparoscopy.

Combined oral contraceptives: risks and benefits.

By the age of 25 years, more than 95% of sexually active women have been exposed to combined oral contraceptives (COCs). Any effects associated with their use, therefore, carry important public health implications. COCs exert major protective effects against ovarian and endometrial cancer, which continue many years after cessation of use.

Oral contraceptives and pregnancy in relation to peptic ulcer.

There is evidence in the scientific literature that peptic ulceration occurs less frequently during pregnancy than at other times. This encouraged us to examine the pattern of hospitalisation for peptic ulcer in the Oxford-Family Planning Association contraceptive study. In total, 175 women in the study had been hospitalised for peptic ulcer; 105 had duodenal disease, 55 had gastric disease and 22 had disease of unspecified site (some had disease at more than one location).