Metabolic effects of contraceptive steroids. III. Intravenous glucose tolerance--short term observations

Intravenous glucose tolerance tests were carried out in women taking 2 types of estrogen/progestogen combination oral contraceptives. Each subject had the test done on days 18-21 in a control cycle before the medication was begun and 3 consecutive cycles during administration of the drug. Fasting blood glucose levels and K values showed no significant changes with a combination of megestrol acetate (4 mg) with 0.05 mg of ethinyl estradiol. A significant decline in glucose tolerance was observed by the change in K values during all 3 cycles of medication with a combination of 2.5 mg lynestrenol and 0.075 mg mestranol. Tests repeated 2 months after stoppage of the medication in 5 subjects showed that blood sugar levels and K values had returned to pretreatment levels.