Contraceptive use and the risk of HIV infection in Nairobi, Kenya.
OBJECTIVE
To determine: (a) the prevalence of human immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV-1) infection among women attending family planning clinics in Nairobi; and (b) the associations between contraceptive use and HIV infection.


METHODS
History, clinical examination and laboratory tests were used to obtain data from 4404 women attending family planning clinics in Nairobi. We conducted a case-control study comparing HIV seropositive and seronegative women with regard to previous and current use of contraception.


RESULTS
The overall prevalence of HIV-1 infection was 4.9% (95% C.I. 4.3-5.5). Previous and current use of oral contraceptives (OC), injectable contraceptives and the intrauterine device were not associated with a significant increase in risk, while current users of condoms had a non-significant reduction in risk. OC use was significantly associated with cervical ectopy, but no significant association was evident between ectopy and HIV infection.


CONCLUSIONS
The finding of no significant association between past or current OC use and risk of HIV infection suggests that any independent association that may exist between OC use and HIV risk is not large.
Mati
J K
JK
Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Nairobi, Kenya.
Hunter
D J
DJ
Maggwa
B N
BN
Tukei
P M
PM
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D017280:Condoms; D003268:Contraception Behavior; D003271:Contraceptive Agents, Female; D003276:Contraceptives, Oral; D005193:Family Planning Services; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000635:transmission*; D018023:HIV Seronegativity; D006679:HIV Seropositivity; D015497:HIV-1; D006801:Humans; D007434:Intrauterine Devices; D007630:Kenya / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors
D003271:Contraceptive Agents, Female; D003276:Contraceptives, Oral