Twenty-six healthy, non-hirsute women had antecubital venous blood obtained before and during treatment with various contraceptive steroids for the measurement of dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEA-S). Six of the women were randomized to receive Ortho Novum 1/35 (O/N), 7 were assigned to Ovcon 35 (OV), and another five received Nordette (N). The 6 women ingesting O/N as well as the 7 receiving OV had significant decreases in serum concentrations of DHEA-S (p less than 0.05). The percentage of decrease in DHEA-S in the O/N group (39 +/- 6%) and in the OV group (30 +/- 5%) was not statistically different. The group receiving N showed no changes from baseline measurements. Serum samples from another 8 women who had received subcutaneous implants of levonorgestrel (1-Ng) were obtained. No significant changes occurred in serum DHEA-S between baseline and six-month samples. The data that 1-Ng alone and the combination of 1-Ng and ethinylestradiol did not change DHEA-S levels suggest that 1-Ng does not affect adrenal androgen secretion. Because N, O/N and OV contain similar quantities of ethinylestradiol, these results indicate that norethindrone, but not 1-Ng, has a major suppressive effect upon adrenal androgen secretion.

PIP:

26 healthy, nonhirsute women had antecubital venous blood obtained before and during treatment with various contraceptive steroids for the measurement of dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEA-S). 6 of these women were randomized to receive Ortho Novum 1/35 (O/N), 7 to Ovcum 35 (OV, and another 5 to receive Nordette (N). The 6 receiving O/N as well as the 7 receiving OV had significant decreases in serum concentrations of DHEA-S (P0.05). The % of decrease in DHEA-S in the O/N group (39 & or-6%) and in the OV group (30/& or-5%) was not statistically different. The group receiving N showed no changes from baseline measurements. Serum samples from another 8 women who had received subcutaneous implants of levonorgestrel (1-Ng) were/obtained. No significant changes occurred in serum DHEA-S between baseline and 6 month samples. The data that 1-Ng alone and the combination of 1-Ng and ethinyl estradiol did not change DHEA-S levels suggest that 1-Ng doses donot affect adrenal androgen secretion. Because N, O/N, and OV contain similar quantities of ethinyl estradiol, these results indicate that norethindrone, butnot 1-Ng, has a major suppressive effect on adrenal androgen secretion. author's modified

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