Neurological and cerebrovascular pathology during treatment with oral contraceptives

Between 1970-1978 a total of 3146 women aged 12-50 were hospitalized in the neurologic division of the Regional Hospital of Borgo Trento Italy. Of these only 47 patients average age 27.8 were on oral contraceptives (OCs); average hospitalization time was of 9.7 days. Main complaints were headache nausea vomiting depression and vertigo. However only 12 of 47 patients presented with symptoms: 5 cases or 41.6% of anomalous encephalogram and 7 cases or 58.4% of cerebrovascular problems. These clinical manifestations are often reported in other studies. The article contains an extensive review of the medical literature published on the subject. (summary in ENG)