Influence of oral contraceptive use on the risk of adult-onset vulvodynia.
OBJECTIVE
To examine the association of adult-onset vulvodynia with oral contraceptive use.


METHODS
We conducted a population-based study of 177 women experiencing vulvar pain consistent with clinical criteria for vulvodynia and community-matched controls. Analyses were repeated and validated in clinically confirmed clinic-based and population-based cases and matched controls.


RESULTS
In our analyses of population-based cases and controls, oral contraceptive use was associated with a nonsignificant, 30% increase in the risk of vulvodynia (95% CI 0.7-2.3) and was highest among women whose first use occurred before age 18 (OR = 2.5, 95% CI 1.1-5.8). These findings were similar when restricted to clinically confirmed cases.


CONCLUSIONS
These findings do not support the strong associations observed in clinic-based studies. In our study, clinically confirmed clinic-based cases, as compared to population-based cases, were more often oral contraceptive users, earlier-age users and users for longer periods. Thus, observational studies using clinic-based cases might not adequately represent oral contraceptive use in all women with vulvodynia.
Harlow
Bernard L
BL
Division of Epidemiology and Community Health, School of Public Health, University of Minnesota, 1300 South 2nd Street, Suite 300, Minneapolis, MN 55454, USA. harlow@epi.umn.edu
Vitonis
Allison F
AF
Stewart
Elizabeth Gunther
EG
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003278:Contraceptives, Oral, Hormonal / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010146:Pain / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000175:diagnosis*; D012307:Risk Factors; D014845:Vulvar Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced*
D003278:Contraceptives, Oral, Hormonal