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Effect of an Oral Contraceptive on Adrenal and Ovarian Androgenic Steroids

From the Division of Reproductive Endocrinology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of South Alabama, Mobile, Alabama; and Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina.

Abstract

Seven women with hirsutism (five with polycystic ovarian disease, two with eumenorrheic hirsutism) were studied before and during the fourth and sixth cycles of oral contraceptive treatment (norethindrone/mestranol, 1 mg/0.05 mg). Plasma testosterone, androstenedione, and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate were measured before and during treatment. Testosterone was reduced 72%, androstenedione was reduced 68.5%, and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate was reduced 41.25% during therapy. Plasma dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate normalized in all patients with pretreatment elevation of this steroid. Norethindrone/mestranol, 1 mg/0.05 mg is capable of suppressing both ovarian and adrenal androgens in hirsute women with modest elevation of these steroids.