Different oral contraceptives and voice quality--an observational study

Area of Science:

• Endocrinology
• Speech and Voice Science

Background:

• Historically, oral contraceptives (OCs) were considered a voice risk factor.
• Emerging research suggests newer OCs may not negatively impact voice and could potentially enhance vocal characteristics.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the effects of different oral contraceptive formulations on women's voices.
• Specifically examining formulations containing drospirenone, desogestrel, and gestodene.

Main Methods:

• Acoustic voice analysis was performed on 29 women using different OCs.
• Measurements included fundamental frequency, frequency/amplitude stability, and noise characteristics.
• Vocal assessments were conducted twice during the menstrual cycle.

Main Results:

• Vocal stability and quality were comparable across the drospirenone, desogestrel, and gestodene groups.
• Minor variations were noted between the drospirenone group and the others.
• No direct influence of drospirenone's water-retention effect on voice characteristics was observed.

Conclusions:

• Current oral contraceptives, including drospirenone, desogestrel, and gestodene formulations, do not appear to negatively impact voice parameters.
• The study provides preliminary evidence that these OCs maintain vocal quality and stability.