The effect of ethinyl estradiol (0.30 mg) and drospirenone containing oral contraceptives upon mucoprotein content of cervical mucus

Oral contraceptives (OC) remain among the most effective reversible methods of birth control available today, providing almost 100% effectiveness with an impressively high margin of safety and other important health benefits. Evidence shows that long-term use of oral conraceptives (five or more years) may be associated with an increased risk of cancer of the cervix. The mechanism of increased risk of cervical cancer in OCs users has long been debated, and remains uncertain. In women using combined oral contraceptives, the cervical mucus remains scanty, thick, and highly viscous. The role of cervical mucus changes on the pathophysiology of cervical cancer development in OC users has not been well described. In current study, it is aimed to determine the changes on the mucoprotein content that might result by using oral contraceptives within the cervical mucus. This study involved 20 women within the reproductive age who were willing and suitable to use oral contraceptives and who have applied to Obstetrics and Gynecology policlinic in Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, Karadeniz Technical University to demand contraception. Women?s mean age was 30.95 ± 4.43. Prior to use of the pills, cervical mucus samples were obtained from the women at the follicular phase of the menstrual cycle, following 2 months oral contraceptive use, at the same phase of the cycle, mucus samples were obtained again. Cervical mucus samples were then evaluated quatitatively for MUC 1, MUC 2, MUC 5AC and MUC 5B by ELISA by using spesific antibodies. Mucus samples obtained prior to OC use were compared with those obtained following to OC use in terms of quantitative mucoprotein levels. The 27.5 % of cases who have applied for the purpose of contraception were willing to use oral contraceptive pill. MUC 5AC mucoprotein was predominant at both prior to and following to OC use, quantitatively. Following to OC use, when compared prior to use, variable increase at the levels of all studied mucoproteins was recorded, however, increase at the levels of MUC 1 (+30.73 ± 24.44 ng/ml, p<0.001), MUC 2 (+54.36 ± 31.88 ng/ml, p<0.001) and MUC 5B (+53.01 ± 33.68 ng/ml, p<0.001) were significant statistically. The difference of MUC 2 mucoprotein level was remarkable (+54.36 ± 31.88 ng/ml). More studies to determine the role of cervical mucus changes on the pathophysiology of cervical cancer development in OC users are needed.