An investigation into oral contraceptive use in female patients with gallstones has been undertaken. Comparison between a group of 50 young women aged 20-45 years with gall-stones and a group of young women of similar age and parity without gall-stones, shows a significantly higher incidence of contraceptive use in the gall-stone patients (p > 0·001). It is suggested that oral contraceptives may predispose pre-menopausal women to gall-stone formation and this is discussed in relationship to the physical and chemical alterations in biliary secretion produced by hormonal changes.
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