Carbohydrate metabolism of Indian women taking steroid contraceptives.

Three parameters, serum glucose, insulin, and growth hormone levels, were used to measure carbohydrate metabolism in 25 women not using steroid contraceptives, 48 women using combination oral contraceptives, and 27 women using low-dose progestogen oral contraceptives. Women in the combination contraceptives group had significant modifications in the responses of all three parameters studied. A bias toward modification was also seen in the normal tests of the combination group. The low-dose progestogen, megestrol acetate, did not cause similar changes in glucose, insulin, and growth hormone values.