Abstract
Background
Women with sickle cell disease have an increased risk of pregnancy-related complications
and need safe, effective contraceptive methods to prevent unintended pregnancy.
Study Design
We conducted a systematic review to examine the safety of hormonal and intrauterine
contraceptive use among women with sickle cell disease.
Results
Eight articles met the inclusion criteria. The evidence was of fair to poor quality
and suggested that progestin-only and combined hormonal contraception had no effect
on frequency of sickle crises or other adverse events and no effect on hematologic
parameters associated with sickle crises. No studies examined the risk of thromboembolism
in combined hormonal contraceptive users with sickle cell disease. There was insufficient
evidence to comment on the safety of intrauterine contraception.
Conclusion
While data are limited, there is no evidence to suggest that hormonal contraceptive
use among women with sickle cell disease is associated with an increased risk of clinical
complications.
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: December 07, 2011
Accepted:
October 15,
2011
Received in revised form:
October 14,
2011
Received:
May 18,
2011
Footnotes
���The findings and conclusions in this report are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official position of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. There was no funding for this review.
Identification
Copyright
© 2012 Elsevier Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
