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Several previous studies have suggested that using hormonal contraception increases a woman's risk for acquiring HIV infection, but the data have been inconsistent. In the latest study on the topic, researchers followed some 3800 HIV-serodiscordant heterosexual couples in Africa for a median 18 months to evaluate the effects of hormonal contraception on both HIV acquisition and HIV transmission.
In most of the couples (65%), the woman was the infected partner. About 33% of these women reported using hormonal contraception during follow-up, as did about 20% of the HIV-uninfected women. Injectable contraception was used by a larger proportion of the study population than oral contraception (23% vs. 8%).
After adjustment for a variety of factors…