Oral contraceptives and systemic lupus erythematosus

Abstract

This case report discusses a young woman who developed systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) 4 weeks after the start of oral contraceptive therapy; she improved only with withdrawal of oral contraceptives. 16 months after cessation of oral contraceptives, she remains completely asymptomatic, has not needed therapy for 1 year, has completed a normal pregnancy, and is in the second month of her second pregnancy. This woman had a false positive serologic prenuptial syphilis test. She had been given Demulen (1 mgm of ethynodiol diacetate and 50 mcgm of ethynil estradiol).