Biliary disease in young women and its association with pregnancy or oral contraceptives

In view of the reported association between the use of oral contraceptives and gallbladder disease, 686 consecutive cholecystectomies for cholecystitis and cholelithiasis performed between 1967 and 1976 in the authors' hospital were analyzed. Fifteen patients (2.18%) were under 21 years of age and 78 (11.3%) between 22 and 28 years of age. All the patients in the former group and 22% in the latter were females. There was a history of recent pregnancy and/or oral contraceptive use in a substantial number of patients. The increased incidence of gallbladder disease during the previous five years, 1972-1976, as compared to 1967-1971 in females between the ages of 22 to 28, from 8% to 17.6% may be attributed to the increased use of oral contraceptives (from 32% to 42%). The occurrence of previous pregnancies was nearly the same in both groups (84% and 83% respectively). The frequency of gallbladder disease was significantly higher in patients who had used oral contraceptives for six to twelve months as compared with women who had used them for longer or shorter periods.