Diseases of the Nervous System and Sense Organs

Abstract

The side effects of oral contraceptive use were examined in relation to diseases of the endocrine system nutritional and metabolic diseases and anemia mental disorders and diseases of the nervous system and sense organs. There have been no reports to date that have linked OC use with an increase in diseases of the thyroid; both users and nonusers of OCs had about the same rates of hospitalization for diseases of the endocrine glands. OC users had lower rates of obesity and of hyperlipemia but these differences were most likely due to a selection bias. A higher rate of anemia secondary to acute blood loss was found in OC users 18-39 years but this was probably linked to the higher rate of hysterectomy among them. Iron deficiency anemia was less common among users than among never users. There was a slight preponderance of depressive illness among users. This could be due to chance but the higher risk of suicide found among users suggested that the increased risk of depressive illness might be real. It was not possible to determine on the basis of the data whether depressive illness was causally related to OC use or whether women who used OCs had characteristics of personality or behavior that predisposed them to depression. Results based on the few cases of migraine or tension headache that were reported on hospital discharge records showed no evidence of a higher risk among users. No association was found between diseases of the nerves and OC use. Results suggested an increased risk of diseases of the retina in past users. An increased risk of diseases of the eyelid and conjunctiva was associated with OC use.