The World Health Organisation (WHO) has confirmed the research findings that suggest use of hormonal contraception drugs may double the risk of acquiring HIV and transmitting it to a partner.
It’s against this development that WHO is convening a Technical Consultation of a multi-disciplinary group of experts from 31 January to 1 February 2012 to examine all evidence related to the potential effects of hormonal contraception on HIV acquisition, transmission, and disease progression.
WHO said in a statement that it was taking caution against making hasty changes to contraceptive policy or practice and would convene a meeting this year to discuss the study.
A recent study from the University of Washington in Seattle has revealed that contraceptives such as Depo Provera may double the chances that a woman would contract HIV. The study followed 3 790 couples in which one partner had HIV.
In couples where the woman used Depo Provera, the woman was nearly twice as likely to acquire HIV infections from their infected partners as those who used no contraception. Those women were also twice as likely to transmit the infections to their partners.
Depo Provera, is a contraceptive injection used by most women in sub-Saharan Africa for birth control.
The Rwanda government is currently in an intensified effort to sensitise couples on birth control where the use of Depo povera is dominantly administered.
The contraceptives provide protection against pregnancy for up to 14 weeks, but the injection must be received once every 12 weeks to remain fully protected.
WHO said that experts would decide through consensus if modifications were needed to the WHO guidelines for hormonal method use among women with HIV or women at risk of contracting HIV.
It is estimated that about 12 million women in sub-Saharan Africa use injectables and eight million use oral contraceptive pills, while 11 million women use non-hormonal methods.
Over the past 15 years, the number of women choosing to use injectables has grown substantially because the method is highly effective and does not require daily action. It can also be used privately.
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