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Human Reproduction, Vol. 18, No. 1, 85-89, January 2003
© 2003 European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology

Auditory brainstem response in premenopausal women taking oral contraceptives

Salvatore Caruso1,2,4, Luigi Maiolino3, Salvatore Rugolo1, Giorgia Intelisano1,2, Marco Farina1, Salvatore Cocuzza3 and Agostino Serra3

1 Department of Microbiological Science and Gynecological Science, 2 Research Group for Sexology, Department of Microbiological Science and Gynecological Science and 3 Department of Otorhinolaryngology, School of Medicine, University of Catania, Italy 4 To whom correspondence should be addressed at: Ospedale S.Bambino, Via Torre del Vescovo, 95124 Catania, Italy. e-mail scaruso{at}mbox.unict.it

BACKGROUND: The aim of this prospective study was to evaluate the effects of the new monophasic oral contraceptives on the audiological system in premenopausal women. METHODS: The auditory brainstem response (ABR) was measured in 94 women during the follicular, periovular and luteal phases of one menstrual cycle in which ovulation was confirmed using sonography and serum progesterone concentration. The latencies for waves I, III and V were determined, and the inter-peak intervals were calculated for waves I–III, I–V and III–V. All 94 women began taking oral contraceptives: 23 women used 20 µg ethinyl estradiol (EE) plus 150 µg desogestrel, 24 women used 30 µg EE plus 75 µg gestodene, and 47 women used 15 µg EE plus 60 µg gestodene. During the third month of contraceptive intake, each subject was again tested for ABR, as above. RESULTS: The wave latencies and inter-peak intervals showed shorter values during the periovular phase with respect to the luteal phase (P < 0.05), the follicular phase for wave I and for inter-peak interval I–V (P < 0.05) of the menstrual cycle. All of the ABR results in pill users were statistically different from those of the periovular phase (P < 0.05), though similar to those of both the luteal and follicular phases (P = NS). CONCLUSIONS: ABR seems to depend on the variations of ovarian steroids during the menstrual cycle and during oral contraceptive intake.

Key words: Auditory brainstem response/auditory evoked potentials/hearing/menstrual cycle/oral contraceptives


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