A possible mechanism of action of danazol and an ethinylestradiol/norgestrel combination used as postcoital contraceptive agents

Contraception. 1986 Jun;33(6):539-45. doi: 10.1016/0010-7824(86)90042-9.

Abstract

Twenty-seven women requesting postcoital contraception were randomly allocated to take an ethinylestradiol/dl-norgestrel combination or danazol. Urine specimens were assayed for luteinising hormone (LH) and pregnanediol-3-glucuronide (P3G) levels from the day of the postcoital treatment to the next period. In addition, the urine samples of these recruits and 12 additional women were assayed for the Beta-subunit of human chorionic gonadotropin (B-hCG). A consistent pattern of alteration in urinary steroids was lacking, indicating a heterogeneous effect on ovarian function. There was no evidence of early pregnancy in successfully treated cases. We suggest that the main mechanism of action of these drugs is at the endometrial level.

Publication types

  • Clinical Trial
  • Randomized Controlled Trial
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Chorionic Gonadotropin / urine
  • Clinical Trials as Topic
  • Contraceptives, Postcoital / therapeutic use*
  • Contraceptives, Postcoital, Synthetic / therapeutic use*
  • Danazol / therapeutic use*
  • Endometrium / drug effects
  • Ethinyl Estradiol / therapeutic use*
  • Ethinyl Estradiol-Norgestrel Combination
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Luteinizing Hormone / urine
  • Norgestrel / therapeutic use*
  • Pregnadienes / therapeutic use*
  • Pregnanediol / analogs & derivatives
  • Pregnanediol / urine
  • Random Allocation

Substances

  • Chorionic Gonadotropin
  • Contraceptives, Postcoital
  • Contraceptives, Postcoital, Synthetic
  • Pregnadienes
  • pregnanediol-3 alpha-glucuronide
  • Norgestrel
  • Ethinyl Estradiol
  • Ethinyl Estradiol-Norgestrel Combination
  • Luteinizing Hormone
  • Pregnanediol
  • Danazol