The Effect of Contraceptive Pills on Coagulation Tests among Sudanese Women in Khartoum State- Sudan

This is a descriptive cross-sectional study which was conducted in Khartoum state in the period between February 2011 to May 2011 to evaluate the effect of contraceptive pills (combined and progestin only pills) on coagulation tests (Prothrombin Time (PT), Activated Partial Thromboplastin Time (APTT), Thrombin Time (TT) and Fibrinogen level. One hundred women were selected as volunteers according to inclusion criteria and considered as case, and other twenty women not taken these pills, were selected and considered as control group. 79% of the cases were under Combined Oral Contraceptive (COC), and the other 21% were under Progestin Only Pills (POP), 26% of cases were used the oral contraceptives for less than six months, while 74% were used for more than six months. The age of the cases were categorized into two groups, 51% in age group less than thirty years and 49% in age group more than thirty years. 4.5 ml of fresh venous blood were collected from each volunteer, after filling the questionnaire, in plastic container containing 0.5 ml of 3.8% trisodium citrate solution for anticoagulation. Then the contents of the container were mixed and centrifuged at 3000 round/min for 15 minutes for preparation of platelets poor plasma (PPP). The PPP were tested for the PT, APTT, TT and fibrinogen level by using the coagulometer instrument (Clot). The results were analyzed by independent T test of the SPSS computer programme. The results of cases revealed that TT mean= 9.1 seconds, APTT mean= 33.4 seconds, Fibrinogen level mean= 266 mg/dl and PT mean= 14.0 seconds. The results of control group revealed that TT mean= 9.8 seconds, APTT mean= 30.7 seconds, Fibrinogen level mean= 249 mg/dl and PT mean= 13.4 seconds. Over all the results were showed significant shortened in TT and increased in APTT when compared with control group with P value < 0.05, and no significant variations were noticed in both PT and fibrinogen level with P value > 0.05 and this indicate the hypercoagulability. No significant changes were noticed between age groups, type and duration of oral contraceptives.