ATLANTA, June 21 (Reuters) – There is no clear link between the use of contraceptives such as the birth control pill or injections such as Depo-Provera and an increased risk that a woman will contract HIV, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said on Thursday.
But the CDC also said it was “strongly” encouraging the use of condoms as a precaution against the virus that causes AIDS.
Recent studies have suggested that the use of hormonal contraceptives could increase the risk of women contracting HIV. But after reviewing the studies, the Atlanta-based CDC said, “the evidence does not suggest” a link between oral contraceptives such as the birth control pill and increased HIV risk.
For injectable forms of birth control the evidence is inconclusive, but in the absence of more definitive research it too is considered safe, CDC officials said.
