Hormonal contraception and HIV acquisition: study finds no overall association.

Imagine Caroline, a 23-year-old, married woman from Zimbabwe who--like more than a third of women in that country using contraception--takes an oral contraceptive pill each day. By preventing pregnancy at a time in her life when she is not ready to start a family, this highly effective contraceptive provides her with not only peace of mind but also the opportunity to pursue an education and to anticipate the benefits that an education affords. Yet, she worries. Zimbabwe is a place where HIV infection is a clear danger: nearly a quarter of adult Zimbabweans are infected. And Caroline, like so many women in settings where HIV prevalence is high, has heard rumors that use of hormonal contraception may increase her risk of becoming infected with HIV if she is ever exposed to the virus. A thoughtful young woman, she weighs the possible risks and known…