We aimed to assess the association between hormonal contraceptive use and risk of HIV-1 acquisition by women and HIV-1 transmission from HIV-1-infected women to their male partners … Among 1314 couples in which the HIV-1-seronegative partner was female, rates of HIV-1 acquisition were 6·61 per 100 person-years in women who used hormonal contraception and 3·78 per 100 person-years in those who did not (adjusted hazard ratio 1·98, 95% CI 1·06—3·68, p=0·03). Among 2476 couples in which the HIV-1-seronegative partner was male, rates of HIV-1 transmission from women to men were 2·61 per 100 person-years in couples in which women used hormonal contraception and 1·51 per 100 person-years in couples in which women did not use hormonal contraception (adjusted hazard ratio 1·97, 95% CI 1·12—3·45, p=0·02).
We’ve heard this story before, that hormonal contraception may increase the risk of HIV acquisition. The mechanism is unclear — vaginal thinning, increased HIV replication in genital secretions, something else — but undoubtedly part of it may be the simple fact that women receiving hormonal contraception must be less likely to use condoms.
In fact, that last factor is pretty darn likely, and why the results cannot be considered definitive — even though condom use was controlled for in the study.
Lack of concrete proof notwithstanding, women should be counseled that hormonal contraception could increase the risk of HIV acquisition and transmission — and hence it’s even more important that condom use be emphasized, especially in high HIV prevalence regions.
From the pages of Lancet Infectious Diseases, a study from Africa :
We’ve heard this story before, that hormonal contraception may increase the risk of HIV acquisition. The mechanism is unclear — vaginal thinning, increased HIV replication in genital secretions, something else — but undoubtedly part of it may be the simple fact that women receiving hormonal contraception must be less likely to use condoms.
In fact, that last factor is pretty darn likely, and why the results cannot be considered definitive — even though condom use was controlled for in the study.
Lack of concrete proof notwithstanding, women should be counseled that hormonal contraception could increase the risk of HIV acquisition and transmission — and hence it’s even more important that condom use be emphasized, especially in high HIV prevalence regions.