Hormonal contraceptives increase women's susceptibility to HIV
Last reviewed: 23.04.2024
All iLive content is medically reviewed or fact checked to ensure as much factual accuracy as possible.
We have strict sourcing guidelines and only link to reputable media sites, academic research institutions and, whenever possible, medically peer reviewed studies. Note that the numbers in parentheses ([1], [2], etc.) are clickable links to these studies.
If you feel that any of our content is inaccurate, out-of-date, or otherwise questionable, please select it and press Ctrl + Enter.
The use of hormonal contraceptives increases the susceptibility of women to HIV. This conclusion was reached by scientists led by Reni Hefron (Washington University).
The study involved 3,790 married couples from seven countries in Africa (Botswana, Kenya, Rwanda, Zambia, Tanzania, Uganda and South Africa). At the time of the experiment, only one partner in the pair was infected with the immunodeficiency virus. Participants were observed for a year and a half.
The results of the study showed that in women who took contraceptive drugs, the susceptibility to HIV was twice as high as those who did not take such drugs (6.61 cases of transmission of the immunodeficiency virus per 100 person-years versus 3.78 cases).
In families where the carrier of the immunodeficiency virus was originally a woman, the risk of contracting a man with hormonal contraception was 1.5 times higher (2.61 cases of HIV infection per 100 person-years versus 1.51 cases). In assessing the results, the authors excluded the effects of barrier methods of contraception, including condoms.
Hormonal contraception is very popular among the population of Africa - it is used by about 6% of women aged 15 to 49 years.
[