February 2012 - WHO Convenes Technical Consultation
WHO Technical Consultation Regarding Hormonal Contraception and HIV Acquisition and Guidance Statement
WHO
WHO convened a technical consultation from January 31 to February 1, 2012, to consider whether the guideline Medical eligibility criteria (MEC) for contraceptive use, fourth edition 2009 should be changed in light of the accumulating evidence. Following the consultation, the WHO issued a technical statement concluding that the WHO should continue to recommend that there are no restrictions on the use of any hormonal contraceptive method for women living with HIV or at high risk of HIV. The recommendation was a category 1 with a clarification, “1*” meaning there was no restriction on the use of the progestogen-only injectables, but women at high risk of HIV should be informed that use of those contraceptive methods may or may not increase risk of HIV acquisition.