Poster Presenter

Changes of Some Coagulation Variables with the Use of the Second Generation Combined Contraceptive Pill: Correlation with Age, Bmi and Duration of Use
Jamila K Adam & Wafaa NS Rmaih
South Africa

The association between the use of the combined oral contraceptive pill and disturbances of the coagulation system continues to be a subject of scientific debate. Studies of the coagulation system in Asian race pill users are limited. This study aims to investigate the effect of the use of the second-generation combined oral contraceptive pill (ethinyloestradiol 30 micrograms & levonorgestrel 150 micrograms) on plasma fibrinogen, Prothrombin Time (PT) and Activated Partial Thromboplastin Time (APTT) in relation to age, BMI, and duration of use. 42 healthy women were selected from the attendees of the family planning clinic of Al-Yarmouk Teaching Hospital in Baghdad, their age range was (24-42 y), their BMI ranged (18.7-35.1kg/M²) and the duration of use ranged between 1 and 12 years. They were non-smokers and had no personal or family history of venous thromboembolic disease. Results showed that plasma fibrinogen level was increased above the normal value range in 21.4% of the women participating in the study, 11.9% and 4.7% others had above the reference plasma control range PT and APTT respectively, while 6.11% others had APTT below the control range. Statistical analysis using the multiple regression model failed to show significant correlations between duration of use, BMI and age, taking each as an independent variable against plasma fibrinogen, PT and APTT as the dependent variables (r²=0.016, 0.010 &0.056 respectively). It is concluded from this study that the changes, which occurred in the coagulation variables, studied in our sample of second-generation pill users did not correlate with age, BMI or duration of use.