ABSTRACT
A total of 615 healthy fertile women (518 pill users and 97 non-users) were examined by real-time ultrasonography for fasting gallbladder volume, gallstones and biliary dysmorphism. None of the six examined combinations of oral contraceptives appeared to influence fasting gallbladder volume significantly. When fasting gallbladder volumes were reanalyzed according to the presence or absence of recognized biliary risk factors, significant modifications were detected, in both pill users and non-users. These changes related only to age and parity. Relative risks of cholelithiasis and biliary dysmorphism were not affected by contraceptive treatment.
PIP: In Italy, researchers used real-time ultrasonography for fasting (no solid food for 24 hours) gallbladder volume to compare data on 518 women using low-dose, combined oral contraceptives (OCs) for 12-120 months with data on 97 women who had never used OCs to examine the effect of OCs on the gallbladder. The 615 healthy, fertile 16-52 year old women were clients of Contraceptive Counseling Services of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at the University of Ferrara and the Local Sanitary Unit. No significant difference in fasting gallbladder volumes existed between cases and controls. OC use was not associated with fasting gallbladder volume in relation to duration of treatment, family cholelithiasis, smoking, or age. As parity increased so did fasting gallbladder volume in both groups (p = 0.04 for controls and p = 0.01 for cases). Fasting gallbladder volume increased with age in both groups but not significantly so. Biliary dysmorphism existed in 17.8% of OC users and 24.7% of controls. Cholelithiasis was present in 2.9% of OC users and 3.1% of controls. OC use did not affect the relative risk of biliary dysmorphism and cholelithiasis (0.66 and 0.95, respectively). In conclusion, low-dose OCs do not affect gallbladder motility.
