[Incidence of abnormalities following the use of hormonal contraceptives]

In order to get evidence about the incidence of malformations as because of intrauterine exposition of steroids as after cessation of hormonal contraception in dependence on the time interval between the last intake of hormonale contraceptives (h.c.) and on different pills 5,866 pregnant women have been entered into a case-control-study. 2,834 pregnant women had taken h.c. during pregnancy or got pregnant within 6 menstrual cycles after discontinuation of pills (= cases). For control the data of 3,032 pregnant women were examined. These one had never taken pills or their pregnancy occurred after 7 menstrual cycles after cessation of pill ingestion. Perinatal mortality, Apgar-score (5 min) and incidence of twins were not different in cases and controls. The incidence of malformations was significant (p less than or equal to 0.01) higher in controls than in cases. It depended on age in form of an increase with rising age. The incidence of malformations in both groups increased significantly (p less than or equal to 0.01) with a rising cigarette consumption during pregnancy. The results of this study suggest that smoking regarding malformations represents a higher risk than the intake of h.c.