IAS 2015The most effective birth control methods for women with HIV are implants and injectable hormonal contraceptives, HIVandHepatitis.com reports. Researchers analyzed data on 5,153 HIV-positive women participating in three studies, Partners in Prevention HSV/HIV, Couples Observational Study, and Partners PrEP. They presented their findings at the 8th International AIDS Society Conference on HIV Pathogenesis, Treatment and Prevention in Vancouver, British Columbia.

The study participants were all new to treatment upon entering the respective trials. They participated the studies for an average 1.8 years.

More than half of the women ever used birth control. Nine percent of this group used implants, 41 percent used injectables, and 15 percent took birth control pills.

During the studies, 31 percent of the women ever received antiretroviral (ARV) treatment for HIV. Out of this group, 23 percent took Viramune (nevirapine) and 5 percent took Sustiva (efavirenz).

Twenty-four percent of the women became pregnant. Among those not on contraceptives, the pregnancy rates for those not on ARVs and on ARVs were a respective 13.2 and 22.5 per 100 person-years.

Implants cut pregnancy risk among those who did and did not take ARVs by a respective 94 percent and 95 percent. The pregnancy rate for those who did and did not take HIV treatment among this group was a respective 1.1 and 1.4 person-years.

Injectable contraceptives reduced pregnancy risk among those taking or not taking ARVs by a respective 82 percent and 80 percent. Oral contraceptives reduced pregnancy rates among both those taking and not taking ARVs by around 60 percent.

There was no statistically significant difference between the pregnancy rates of those taking Sustiva, compared with those not on that ARV.

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