Barrier methods such as condoms and diaphragms are the most commonly used forms of birth control among HIV positive women. Sterilization is the second most popular method and hormonal contraception is the third Hormonal contraceptives, when used correctly and consistently, are highly effective in preventing unintended pregnancy and are also useful for treating health conditions such as painful ...

world population projected by 2050, with Nigeria expected to be the fastest growing country between now and 2050. The population in India in mid 2004 was estimated to be 1086.6 million, with a birth rate of25 per 1000 and a 1.7%rate of natural increase as compared to 0.1 % for Japan. With 36% of the population in India below age 15, a 50% increase in population is envisaged by 2050. The contrac...

Current low dose OCs are highly effective with an excellent safety profile and many associated health benefits No single product has been shown to be superior in efficacy, safety or tolerability There is no "one size fits all" OC; different women may require different formulations Smoking particularly after age 35 with concurrent OC use greatly increases cardiovascular and thrombotic risks Age ...

The transdermal contraceptive patch is an innovative contraceptive technology. The failure rate is quite low and has high continuation rate. The side effects and complications are not different from other hormonal contraceptives. This contraceptive method should be an alternative birth control technique for women.

During the past 40 years, combined oral contraceptives (COCs) have become a key component of modern fertility regulation programmes. Today, an estimated 100 million women throughout the world use this method of contraception. With such wide-spread usage, it is perhaps not surprising that COCs have been the subject of extensive medical research.

BACKGROUND Oral contraceptives are known to influence the risk of cancers of the female reproductive system. Evidence regarding the relationship between injectable contraceptives and these cancers is limited, especially in black South Africans, among whom injectable contraceptives are used more commonly than oral contraceptives. METHODS AND FINDINGS We analysed data from a South African hospi...

This column highlights new resources that clarify knowledge about effects of specific practices in maternal/newborn and women's health. The focus is on new and recently updated systematic reviews and overviews of best research evidence. The column identifies recent additions to three major evidence-based databases: • Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (CDSR) uses a standardized method to r...

BACKGROUND Low-dose oral contraceptives are widely used, but there are limited data on the cerebrovascular risks associated with these medications. OBJECTIVE To determine whether use of low-dose oral contraceptives influences the risk for stroke. DESIGN Population-based case-control study. SETTING Women 18-44 years of age who resided in western Washington State between 1991 and 1995. PA...

Objective To determine methods of contraception used by adolescents before and after pregnancy. Methods A cross-sectional study was performed, and data were collected from medical records of all teens in puerperal consultation at the Hospital da Mulher - José Aristodemo Pinotti (Caism), Universidade Estadual de Campinas (CAISM), São Paulo, Brazil, between July 2011 and September 2013. The inclu...

BACKGROUND Pharmacy professionals, as the most available members of medical team, have an important role in educating patients about the effective and appropriate use of contraceptives. The purpose of this study was to assess pharmacy professionals' dispensing practice, knowledge, and attitude towards emergency contraceptives use in Gondar town, northwestern Ethiopia. METHODS An institution b...