Compared with a pill containing levonorgestrel, a combined oral contraceptive containing desogestrel carries a higher documented risk of which adverse effect?

• A Hepatic adenoma
• B Venous thromboembolism ✓
• C Gallstone formation
• D Breakthrough bleeding

Explanation

Third-generation progestins such as desogestrel and gestodene carry roughly a twofold higher venous thromboembolism risk compared with the older androgenic progestin levonorgestrel, thought to reflect reduced opposition to oestrogen-driven procoagulant effects. This finding led regulatory advisories favouring levonorgestrel-containing pills as first line. Hepatic adenoma and gallstones are oestrogen-related risks shared across all combined pills, and third-generation progestins actually cause less breakthrough bleeding and better lipid profiles.

Reference: KD Tripathi Essentials of Medical Pharmacology, 8th ed.

High-yield for: NEET PGINI-CETNExTFMGEUSMLEPLABMRCP

Written and medically reviewed by the StethoPrep medical team.