ENDOCRINOLOGIA GINECOLOGICA 

Minerva Endocrinologica 2014 September;39(3):175-87

Copyright © 2014 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

lingua: Inglese

Oral contraceptives in polycystic ovary syndrome

Helvaci N., Yildiz B. O. ✉

Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Internal Medicine, Hacettepe University School of Medicine, Hacettepe, Ankara, Turkey

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the most common endocrine disorder of women of reproductive age and combined oral contraceptives (OCs) are often the first-line treatment of the syndrome by improving hyperandrogenism and regulating menstrual cycles. Oral contraceptives have some cardiovascular and metabolic effects that varies among different formulations depending upon the dose and type of the both estrogen and progestin components. These cardiometabolic effects of OCs raise some concerns about their long-term use in PCOS, but available data suggest that the benefits outweigh the risks. More studies are needed to clarify the safety of long-term use of OCs in PCOS.