Study on the Effects of Combined Oral Contraceptives (Cop) on Some Red Cell Indices of Female Albino Wistar Rats
Abstract
Oral contraceptives (OCs), commonly referred to as birth control pills, are pharmaceutical formulations designed to prevent pregnancy through the administration of synthetic hormones that regulate the female reproductive system Oral contraceptives are extensively used for fertility regulation and therapeutic indications; however, their systemic effects on haematological profiles remain a subject of concern. This study investigated the haematological impact of different doses of combined oral contraceptives in female albino Wistar rats. A total of 20 female rats, weighing 150 – 200 g were used for the study and the female rats were divided into 4 groups, each group containing 5 rats. At the end of the 21 and 28 days’ experimental period, the animals were fasted overnight and anesthetized using diethyl ether. Blood sample was drawn via retro orbital plexus and cardiac puncture. Blood was collected into ethylenediamine tetra-acetic acid (EDTA), and the Packed Cell Volume (PCV), Haemoglobin Concentration (Hb), Red Blood Cell Count (RBC), Mean Cell Volume (MCV), Mean Cell Haemoglobin (MCH), Mean Cell Haemoglobin Concentration ( MCHC), and Total White Cell Count (TWBC) were analysed using standard procedures. Data generated from this study were analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 27.0, windows 10. The values were expressed as Mean ± Standard Deviation (SD). Differences among the groups were analysed using one-way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA), followed by post-hoc comparisons. Result revealed significant differences (p< 0.05) in combined oral contraceptive (COC) treatment groups at high, medium, and low doses in PCV, Hb, RBC, MCV, MCHC, TWBC, when compared with control group. In conclusion, this study demonstrated that higher doses of oral contraceptives exert significant, dose-dependent, and system-wide biological effects on haematological indices, with important implications for both clinical use and pharmacological safety. This study contributes to knowledge by providing a multi-system, dose-dependent effects of combined oral contraceptives on some haematological parameters. These findings highlight a strong foundation for future research and support the need for careful therapeutic monitoring of different oral contraceptive use.
How to Cite This Article
Ohahuru Vivian Chikwendu, Eze Richard Francis, Eledo Benjamin Onyema (2026). Study on the Effects of Combined Oral Contraceptives (Cop) on Some Red Cell Indices of Female Albino Wistar Rats . International Journal of Biological and Biomedical Research (IJBBMR), 2(4), 18-24. DOI: https://doi.org/10.54660/IJBBR.2026.2.4.18-24