Sunak: British, Saudi trade exchange crosses $21 billion UK wants to be part of Saudi Vision 2030, says Dowden    King Salman directs authorities to deliver finest services for Hajj pilgrims Cabinet welcomes UNGA resolution for full membership for Palestine State    ZATCA sets SR3000 maximum duty-free purchase limit for incoming passenger    Almost 450,000 people have fled Rafah in a week, UN says    Eurovision responds to complaints of bad behavior    Ex-lawyer Michael Cohen says he paid hush money at Trump's direction    Injured Palestinian mothers grieve for babies killed in Gaza    Glioblastoma: Top Australian doctor remains brain cancer-free after a year    Makkah deputy emir: No Hajj without a permit, and violators will be dealt with sternly    Islamic minister launches design models for mosques simulating identity of various Saudi regions    Saudi Minister of transport and logistics begins official visit to Finland    Saudi dates exports jump by 13.7% in Q1 of 2024    Introducing Zilos: A luxury Culinary Oasis of Mediterranean and Asian Fusion in Jeddah    Al Hilal wraps up Saudi League title; Jesus touts season as model of excellence    SDAIA chief: Summit set to make Riyadh a global compass for AI advancements Crown Prince to patronize 3rd Global AI Summit in September    Neymar celebrates Al Hilal's title win, eager for comeback next season    Al Hilal clinches Saudi Professional League title in a star-studded season    Saudi authorities recall contaminated mayonnaise after food poisoning incident at Riyadh restaurant    Al Ettifaq inflicts historic 5-0 defeat on Al Ittihad in Saudi Professional League    Israel heads to Eurovision final, despite protests    JK Rowling in 'arrest me' challenge over hate crime law    Trump's Bible endorsement raises concern in Christian religious circles    Hollywood icon Will Smith shares his profound admiration for Holy Qur'an    We have celebrated Founding Day for three years - but it has been with us for 300    Exotic Taif Roses Simulation Performed at Taif Rose Festival    Asian shares mixed Tuesday    Weather Forecast for Tuesday    Saudi Tourism Authority Participates in Arabian Travel Market Exhibition in Dubai    Minister of Industry Announces 50 Investment Opportunities Worth over SAR 96 Billion in Machinery, Equipment Sector    HRH Crown Prince Offers Condolences to Crown Prince of Kuwait on Death of Sheikh Fawaz Salman Abdullah Al-Ali Al-Malek Al-Sabah    HRH Crown Prince Congratulates Santiago Peña on Winning Presidential Election in Paraguay    SDAIA Launches 1st Phase of 'Elevate Program' to Train 1,000 Women on Data, AI    41 Saudi Citizens and 171 Others from Brotherly and Friendly Countries Arrive in Saudi Arabia from Sudan    Saudi Arabia Hosts 1st Meeting of Arab Authorities Controlling Medicines    General Directorate of Narcotics Control Foils Attempt to Smuggle over 5 Million Amphetamine Pills    NAVI Javelins Crowned as Champions of Women's Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) Competitions    Saudi Karate Team Wins Four Medals in World Youth League Championship    Third Edition of FIFA Forward Program Kicks off in Riyadh    Evacuated from Sudan, 187 Nationals from Several Countries Arrive in Jeddah    SPA Documents Thajjud Prayer at Prophet's Mosque in Madinah    SFDA Recommends to Test Blood Sugar at Home Two or Three Hours after Meals    SFDA Offers Various Recommendations for Safe Food Frying    SFDA Provides Five Tips for Using Home Blood Pressure Monitor    SFDA: Instant Soup Contains Large Amounts of Salt    Mawani: New shipping service to connect Jubail Commercial Port to 11 global ports    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Delivers Speech to Pilgrims, Citizens, Residents and Muslims around the World    Sheikh Al-Issa in Arafah's Sermon: Allaah Blessed You by Making It Easy for You to Carry out This Obligation. Thus, Ensure Following the Guidance of Your Prophet    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques addresses citizens and all Muslims on the occasion of the Holy month of Ramadan    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



HIV risks rise with some birth control
Published in Saudi Press Agency on 20 - 07 - 2011

In what's being called the first research of its kind, a study found that HIV-infected women in Africa are more likely to spread the AIDS virus if they use hormone-based birth control, AP reported.
The women studied were about twice as likely to transmit HIV if they were on the pill or taking a hormone shot like Depo-Provera, compared to those not on the such birth control. The research is the first to look at this question, according to Renee Heffron of the University of Washington, one of the researchers.
Their research also found that uninfected women were about twice as likely to catch AIDS virus from their infected partners if they were on hormonal contraception, compared to those who were not. That finding echoed a phenomenon seen in earlier studies.
The researchers checked to make sure there were no significant differences in condom use, sexual behavior or other factors that would account for the differences.
The research was presented Wednesday at a meeting in Rome of the International AIDS Society.
The researchers said the findings need to be confirmed in follow-up studies, and should not cause women to immediately change birth control practices.
The increased risk of HIV infection also must be balanced against the consequences of unintended pregnancy, which in Africa can include maternal mortality and financial squalor, they explained.
"Contraception is incredibly important to economic and social development of women and children worldwide," said Dr. Jared Baeten, another University of Washington researcher on the study team.
Hormone shots release progestin, which keep a woman's ovaries from releasing eggs and also thins the lining of the uterus. Birth control pills contain progestin or progestin and estrogen and work the same way.
It's not clear exactly how the hormones may help spread the virus, but the theoretical risk has been known from earlier studies. A Kenya study found an increase in HIV-infected cells in cervical tissue after women started using various hormonal contraception.
The new study was done from 2004 to 2010 in seven African countries - Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Botswana, Zambia, Tanzania and South Africa.
It included nearly 2,500 women with HIV whose male partners were not infected. About a third took hormonal contraception at least once. Most of them were on the shots, which are taken once every few months.
The men had a 2.61 percent chance of becoming infected in a year's time if their partner was on hormonal contraception. If not, their chances of infection were 1.51 percent.
The research team also looked at about 1,300 couples in which the men were infected but not the women. About 20 percent of the women were on hormonal contraception, mostly injections.
The study found those women had a 6.6 percent chance of becoming infected in a year, compared to 3.8 percent for woman not on that kind of birth control.
-- SPA


Clic here to read the story from its source.