title: Comparing female-based contraceptive methods in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis and a healthy population.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a systemic autoimmune disease that is 10 times more prevalent in women, particularly those of reproductive age. The varying effects of pregnancy on SLE and the differences between available SLE treatments make pregnancy timing and contraceptive methods significant. We aimed to determine the contraceptive methods used by SLE patients in the north-west part of Turkey, and compared them with those used by rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients and healthy controls.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study was comprised of 113 SLE patients, and 84 RA patients at the Rheumatology Outpatient Clinic of Uludag University Medical Faculty.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Twenty-three (20.3%) out of 113 SLE patients, 18 (21.4%) out of 84 RA patients and 17 (18.6%) out of 92 healthy controls did not use any contraceptive methods. Use of the withdrawal and condom methods was more common among SLE patients, accounting for 61% (withdrawal 32.7%, condom 28.3%). Moreover, 52% of SLE and 50% of RA patients were neither given information about contraceptive methods nor offered a suggested method, compared to 34% in the health control group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The prevalence of oral contraceptive use is low in Turkey; notwithstanding the withdrawal and condom methods, which are frequently used despite their high failure risk. Although pregnancy timing is of great importance for SLE patients, necessary information and recommendations concerning contraceptive methods have been ignored and the use of effective methods is not a priority.
authors.affiliation: Division of Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Uludag University, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ediz
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Dalkilic
authors.forename: Ayse Nur
authors.initials: AN
authors.lastname: Tufan
authors.forename: Mustafa Ferhat
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Oksuz
authors.forename: Mustafa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sahbazlar
authors.forename: Belkis Nihan
authors.initials: BN
authors.lastname: Coskun
authors.forename: Nihan
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Seniz
authors.forename: Yavuz
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Pehlivan
authors.forename: Murat
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Inanc
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000150:complications* / Q000276:immunology / Q000503:physiopathology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003076:Coitus Interruptus; D003267:Contraception / Q000379:methods*; D003276:Contraceptives, Oral / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D005298:Fertility; D015438:Health Behavior; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000150:complications* / Q000276:immunology / Q000503:physiopathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000209:etiology* / Q000276:immunology / Q000503:physiopathology; D049168:Pregnancy, Unplanned; D012307:Risk Factors; D014421:Turkey
chemical_list: D003276:Contraceptives, Oral
keywords: contraception; rheumatoid arthritis; systemic lupus erythematosus