Skip Navigation

This Article
Right arrow FREE Full Text (PDF) Freely available
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to My Personal Archive
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrowRequest Permissions
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by The ESHRE Capri Workshop Group,
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by The ESHRE Capri Workshop Group,
Social Bookmarking
Add to CiteULike   Add to Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us  
What's this?

Human Reproduction Update, Vol.8, No.4 pp.359-371, 2002
© European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology 2002; all rights reserved

Hormonal contraception: what is new?

The ESHRE Capri Workshop Group1

1 Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Milan, Via Della Commenda 12, 20122 Milan, Italy.

To whom correspondence should be addressed at: Professor P.G.Crosignani, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Milan, Via Della Commenda 12, 20122 Milan, Italy. e-mail: piergiorgio.crosignani{at}unimi.it

Abstract

Hormonal contraception has become more effective and more widely used, while the world population has grown from 3000 million in 1960 to 6000 million in 2000. There is a need for improved contraception, because legal abortion is used in a high proportion of pregnancies and illegal abortion continues to be common in some countries. Hormonal contraception now includes different choices of administration and dose regimens. The best selection depends on the benefits and risks of the method and whether there is a medical disability. Medical eligibility for combined oral contraceptives has improved during the past 40 years so that, for most women, all currently available low-dose products are safe. For women with medical conditions, wider eligibility for oral contraceptive use has evolved from better knowledge of the risk factors. The long-term risks of rare cardiovascular and malignant adverse events remain controversial. There are long-term benefits, however, as oral contraceptive use appears to protect against endometrial, ovarian and colorectal cancers. Emergency contraception provides an option that reduces the number of unplanned pregnancies with little or no long-term risk. Endometrial contraception is an option that would ideally have no influence on ovarian function or the bleeding pattern, and cause no significant side-effects. Hormonal male contraception, with indirect suppression of spermatogenesis by decreasing gonadotrophin output, is a further choice. Although hormonal contraception is effective and safe, many research investigations remain to be carried out in order to improve tolerance and achieve wider utilization.

Key words: demographics / hormonal contraception / long-term benefits / long-term risks / safety


Add to CiteULike CiteULike   Add to Connotea Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us Del.icio.us    What's this?


This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 Hum Reprod UpdateHome page
K. L. Matthiesson and R. I. McLachlan
Male hormonal contraception: concept proven, product in sight?
Hum. Reprod. Update, July 1, 2006; 12(4): 463 - 482.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Hum Reprod UpdateHome page
ESHRE Capri Workshop Group
Hormones and breast cancer
Hum. Reprod. Update, July 1, 2004; 10(4): 281 - 293.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Disclaimer:
Please note that abstracts for content published before 1996 were created through digital scanning and may therefore not exactly replicate the text of the original print issues. All efforts have been made to ensure accuracy, but the Publisher will not be held responsible for any remaining inaccuracies. If you require any further clarification, please contact our Customer Services Department.