Female Hormonal Contraception Associated with an Increased Risk of HIV

Female hormonal contraception associated with an increased risk of HIV
 Women who use hormonal contraceptives are almost twice as likely to be infected with HIV or AIDS transmit the virus to their partners, according to a study released Tuesday.

The research was conducted among 3790 heterosexual couples in Africa, where one partner had human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), while the other is not infected.
The results, if confirmed, could have enormous implications for policies on contraception and HIV prevention.

The authors say that reinforces the need for a safe sex message, which is promoted condoms as a shield against the causative agent of AIDS.

The couples were followed for an average of 18 months during which 167 people were infected, 73 are women, according to the article in The Lancet Infectious Diseases.

Transcribe a reference point prevalence of HIV transmission per 100 person-6.61 years among couples where the women using hormonal contraceptives, compared to 3.78 per 100 person-years among those without do.

The infection rate of women to men 2.61 per 100 person-years in women using hormonal contraceptives, but 1.51 per 100 person-years among those without.

Most women taking hormonal contraceptives used in an inject able form and long term Depo-Provera. Only a few have used the pill, in this group, there was an increased risk of HIV, but not large enough to be conclusive.

Over the past two decades, scientists have launched several investigations to determine whether the use of hormonal contraceptives affect the risk of HIV, but the probes have yielded conflicting results.

This is the first large scale, using an ambitious design to come back clear evidence of risk. He is also the first to demonstrate a clear risk for men.

The researchers found that women taking inject able contraceptives have “high levels” of genetic material of HIV in cervical secretions.

If it is a mechanism of virus transmission to men, the more urgent to test the theory, they say.

In practical terms, clinicians should counsel women at risk for a potential increase and warned of “dual protection” with condoms, said the research, led by Renee Heffron, University of Washington in Seattle.

The study was conducted between 2004 and 2010 in Botswana, Kenya, Rwanda, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia, as part of a trial of therapy against herpes simplex virus, which is common in people living with HIV.

In a comment also made by the scientific medical journal, Charles Morrison spoke of a “tragic” dilemma.

The promotion of hormonal contraceptives in Africa could contribute to the HIV epidemic, however, to limit this very effective form of contraception also increase the rate of maternal mortality and disease, babies with low birth weight and orphans.

“The time to give a definitive answer to this critical public health issue is now,” through a randomized trial of volunteers, he wrote.

In 2009, more than 33 million people living with HIV and 2.6 million people were infected, according to figures released last year by UN AIDS.