Endocrine and metabolic effects of oral contraceptives containing estetrol and drospirenone

To this day, combined oral contraceptives (COCs) remain one of the most reliable methods of contraception. Besides the obvious advantages, COCs can also have several adverse health effects associated with metabolic disorders. Therefore, it has become necessary to search for COCs with the most favorable endocrine and metabolic profile. Studies have appeared investigating the metabolic effects of a new COC containing estetrol and drospirenone, potentially capable of producing a range of positive metabolic and risk-reducing effects. Key words: estetrol, drospirenone, metabolic effects, carbohydrate metabolism, lipid profile, bone mineralization