Harare, 6 October 2004 - Two major studies on the interface between the use of hormonal contraception and HIV infection are currently being finalized and will be released in early 2005, a South African researcher in Reproductive Health and HIV, Prof. Helen Rees, told the ongoing third meeting of the African Reproductive Health Task Force in Harare, Zimbabwe.

"Depending on the results (of the studies), there may be a need to have an urgent consultation in Geneva to develop an evidence-based response to the findings, followed by a consultation of scientists, senior clinicians, policy makers and programme managers in the WHO African Region", said Prof. Rees of the Reproductive Health and HIV Research Unit of the University of Witwatersrand, South Africa.

She stated that the consultations to be organized after the release of the findings of the ongoing studies would review what impact, if any, the results would have on current policy and practice in countries.

In her presentation to the meeting, Prof. Rees described how the two studies were currently being analyzed and reviewed the existing data on which WHO's guidelines on contraceptive use in women in areas with a high prevalence of HIV are based.

The current guidelines state, among others, that: hormonal contraceptives do not protect against Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs), including HIV; hormonal contraceptives can be used by women living in settings with a high HIV prevalence, and women at high risk of exposure to STIs should be counseled about the importance of using condoms.

Current estimates show that 150 women million worldwide use hormonal methods of contraception.

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