Oral contraceptives and pregnancy in relation to peptic ulcer

There is evidence in the scientific literature that peptic ulceration occurs less frequently during pregnancy than at other times. This encouraged us to examine the pattern of hospitalisation for peptic ulcer in the Oxford-Family Planning Association contraceptive study. In total, 175 women in the study had been hospitalised for peptic ulcer; 105 had duodenal disease, 55 had gastric disease and 22 had disease of unspecified site (some had disease at more than one location). Hospitalisation for peptic ulcer increased with age, parity and cigarette smoking. In addition, hospitalisation was at a low rate during pregnancy and was not seen at all during the 12 months following delivery. There was no relationship between hospitalisation for peptic ulcer and total duration of oral contraceptive use. Likewise, there was no significant relationship with recency of oral contraceptive use, but the lowest rate of hospitalisation was in current users of the pill.