Gallbladder disease related to use of oral contraceptives and nausea in pregnancy.

In our series of women with confirmed gallbladder disease, intolerance of oral contraceptives was remarkably high. Among women who did not tolerate oral contraceptives there was a remarkably high percentage of emesis gravidarum. The frequency of cholecystectomy declined substantially between 1971 and 1981. This decrement was especially pronounced in women younger than 40, which could be attributed to the reduced "hormonal load" from both fewer pregnancies and reduced intake of contraceptive steroids.