Hormonal contraception and ovarian pathology

P G Crosignani, Pier Giorgio Crosignani, Walter Vegetti, W Vegetti, D Bianchedi
The European journal of contraception & reproductive health care : the official journal of the European Society of Contraception · 1997 · vol. 2(4) , pp. 207–211 · doi:10.3109/13625189709165296 · PMID:9678075 · W2021067658
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⚙ AI-generated summary by claude@2026-06, 2026-06-09 ⓘ

Hormonal contraception suppresses steroidogenesis and ovulation, reducing ovarian cysts, benign breast disease, and lowering cancer risk while treating hyperandrogenism and dysfunctional uterine bleeding.

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Abstract

Despite sporadic ovarian follicle development, hormonal contraception consistently and uniformly prevents steroidogenesis and ovulation. For their suppressive activity on ovarian androgen production, oral contraceptives remain the treatment of choice for acne and hirsutism in most hyperandrogenic women. Inhibition of the synthesis of endometrial estrogen receptors explains the effectiveness of hormonal contraception in the therapy of dysfunctional uterine bleeding and in the treatment of pain associated with pelvic endometriosis. Through the inhibition of ovarian cyclicity, the contraceptive pill lowers the incidence of functional ovarian cysts, benign breast disease, dysmenorrhea and premenstrual syndrome and shows a consistent and long-lasting protection against ovarian and endometrial cancer.

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Condition tags

mesh:D004715endometriosisdysmenorrhea

MeSH descriptors

Contraceptives, Oral, Hormonal Contraceptives, Oral, Hormonal Ovarian Diseases Ovary Ovulation Contraceptives, Oral, Hormonal Endometriosis Endometriosis Endometrium Endometrium Female Humans Hyperandrogenism Hyperandrogenism Ovarian Diseases Ovary Ovary Ovulation Ovulation Receptors, Estrogen

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References (21)

Source provenance

europepmc
last seen: 2026-06-04T01:30:01.192114+00:00
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