RESUMO
PIP: Sexually active patients (12 to 19 years of age) participated in a study designed to determine if adolescents who take oral contraceptives are susceptible to hematologic abnormalities. This involved individual medical histories recording vitamin ingestin, alcohol consumption, type of contraceptive used, duration of usage and menstrual cycle. Blood samples were drawn for determinations of serum folate, B12, ferritin, blood count and polymorphonuclear leukocyte lobe count. Results indicate that adolescents with nutritionally poor diets are potentially high risks for developing folic acid deficiency while taking oral contraceptives. The data indicate no significant differences in the mean hemoglobin, red blood cell indices or polylobe count in either the patient or control group. The authors stress a need to gather more data on the effects of long term contraceptive pill usage. It is concluded that although contraceptive pill use appears to increase the risk of developing cellular folate deficiency, especially in white women, the pill appears to offer some protection against iron deficiency and is not associated with anemia.^ieng