Variations in serum copper and ceruloplasmin activity following a long term intake of combined oral contraceptives in Iranian women.

Serum copper level and ceruloplasmin activity were measured in 104 middle class Iranian women from 17 to 49 years of age, using combined oral contraceptives from 3 to 108 months, and results were compared with those obtained from 24 normal individuals (21-45 years of age) from the same social class. Significant increases were observed in 100% of test subjects in serum copper level and ceruloplasmin activity (p less than 0.005), which tend to decline following 48 months of intake, when liver probably adapts itself, and ceruloplasmin synthesis is not aggravated significantly any more. The variations observed in this study were higher than those obtained in Nigerian women and were comparable with those found in women from other countries.