Hormonal Contraceptives Improve Women's Health and Should Continue to Be Covered by Health Insurance Plans
Authors: Carol J. Hogue, Kelli Stidham Hall, Melissa Kottke
Journal: Annals of Internal Medicine (2017)

Ideas and Opinions7 November 2017Hormonal Contraceptives Improve Women's Health and Should Continue to Be Covered by Health Insurance PlansCarol J. Hogue, PhD, MPH, Kelli Stidham Hall, PhD, MS, and Melissa Kottke, MD, MPH, MBACarol J. Hogue, PhD, MPHFrom Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia.Search for more papers by this author, Kelli Stidham Hall, PhD, MSFrom Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia.Search for more papers by this author, and Melissa Kottke, MD, MPH, MBAFrom Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia.Search for more papers by this authorAuthor, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/M17-2011 SectionsAboutFull TextPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail Several prominent voices in federal leadership positions have recently disseminated misinformation on contraception. Allegations range from the statement that hormonal contraceptives cause cancer and abortion to the most egregious claim that providers who prescribe any hormonal contraceptives are conducting medical malpractice (1, 2). These falsities run counter to widely accepted, evidence-based medical and epidemiologic research on family planning and serve only to confuse the public while justifying proposed steps toward dismantling federal programs and denying insurance coverage. This misinformation may cause harm by discouraging beneficial contraceptive use. The medical community has a responsibility to counter such claims with conclusions based ...References1. Pear R. Foes of Obama-era rule work to undo birth control mandate. The New York Times. 10 July 2017. Accessed at www.nytimes.com/2017/07/10/us/politics/birth-control-contraception-health-care-bill.html on 22 July 2017. Google Scholar2. Talento KF. Ladies: is birth control the mother of all medical malpractice? The Federalist. 5 January 2015. Accessed at https://thefederalist.com/2015/01/05/ladies-is-birth-control-the-mother-of-all-medical-malpractice on 22 July 2017. Google Scholar3. Cibula D, Gompel A, Mueck AO, La Vecchia C, Hannaford PC, Skouby SO, et al. Hormonal contraception and risk of cancer. Hum Reprod Update. 2010;16:631-50. [PMID: 20543200] doi:10.1093/humupd/dmq022 CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar4. Gierisch JM, Coeytaux RR, Urrutia RP, Havrilesky LJ, Moorman PG, Lowery WJ, et al. Oral contraceptive use and risk of breast, cervical, colorectal, and endometrial cancers: a systematic review. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2013;22:1931-43. [PMID: 24014598] doi:10.1158/1055-9965.EPI-13-0298 CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar5. Samson M, Porter N, Orekoya O, Hebert JR, Adams SA, Bennett CL, et al. Progestin and breast cancer risk: a systematic review. Breast Cancer Res Treat. 2016;155:3-12. [PMID: 26700034] doi:10.1007/s10549-015-3663-1 CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar6. Caserta D, Ralli E, Matteucci E, Bordi G, Mallozzi M, Moscarini M. Combined oral contraceptives: health benefits beyond contraception. Panminerva Med. 2014;56:233-44. [PMID: 25056245] MedlineGoogle Scholar7. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Pregnancy complications. Updated 17 June 2016. Accessed at www.cdc.gov/reproductivehealth/maternalinfanthealth/pregcomplications.htm on 27 July 2017. Google Scholar8. Curtis KM, Tepper NK, Jatlaoui TC, Berry-Bibee E, Horton LG, Zapata LB, et al. U.S. medical eligibility criteria for contraceptive use, 2016. MMWR Recomm Rep. 2016;65:1-103. [PMID: 27467196] doi:10.15585/mmwr.rr6503a1 CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar9. Pazol K, Kramer MR, Hogue CJ. Condoms for dual protection: patterns of use with highly effective contraceptive methods. Public Health Rep. 2010;125:208-17. [PMID: 20297747] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar10. Hall KS, Kottke M, Dalton VK, Hogue CR. Ongoing implementation challenges to the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act's contraceptive mandate. Am J Prev Med. 2017;52:667-70. [PMID: 27939235] doi:10.1016/j.amepre.2016.10.014 CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar Author, Article, and Disclosure InformationAffiliations: From Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia.Financial Support: None.Disclosures: Disclosures can be viewed at www.acponline.org/authors/icmje/ConflictOfInterestForms.do?msNum=M17-2011.Corresponding Author: Carol J. Hogue, PhD, MPH, Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, 1518 Clifton Road NE, CNR 3005, Atlanta, GA 30322; e-mail, [email protected]edu.Current Author Addresses: Dr. Hogue: Department of Epidemiology, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, 1518 Clifton Road NE, CNR 3005, Atlanta, GA 30322.Dr. Hall: Department of Behavioral Sciences and Health Education, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, 1518 Clifton Road, NE, GCR 560, Atlanta, GA 30322.Dr. Kottke: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, School of Medicine, Emory University, 49 Jesse Hill Jr. Drive SE, Atlanta, GA 30303.Author Contributions: Conception and design: C.J. Hogue, K.S. Hall, M. Kottke.Analysis and interpretation of the data: C.J. Hogue.Drafting of the article: C.J. Hogue, K.S. Hall, M. Kottke.Critical revision of the article for important intellectual content: C.J. Hogue, K.S. Hall, M. Kottke.Final approval of the article: C.J. Hogue, K.S. Hall, M. Kottke.Collection and assembly of data: C.J. Hogue.This article was published at Annals.org on 3 October 2017. PreviousarticleNextarticle Advertisement FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails Metrics Cited by'I feel like a person has a right to use a product to protect themselves…': a qualitative study of the risk–benefit calculus on women's contraceptive use and choiceThe impact of cost sharing on women’s use of annual examinations and effective contraception 7 November 2017Volume 167, Issue 9Page: 666-667KeywordsCervical cancerContraceptivesEpidemiologyHealth insuranceIntrauterine devicesIschemic strokeObstetrics and gynecologyOral contraceptive therapyPregnancyPrevention, policy, and public health ePublished: 3 October 2017 Issue Published: 7 November 2017 Copyright & PermissionsCopyright © 2017 by American College of Physicians. All Rights Reserved.PDF downloadLoading ...