| Summary: | Given the public health importance of this topic, and at the encouragement of the GDG, the World Health Organization is issuing its contraceptive eligibility guidance for women at high risk of HIV and women living with HIV in advance of the entire guideline revision. It is anticipated that the revised fifth edition of the MEC will be completed in 2015. Recommendations for hormonal contraceptive use are provided for: women at high risk of HIV infection; women living with asymptomatic or mild HIV clinical disease (WHO stage 1 or 2); women living with severe or advanced HIV clinical disease (WHO stage 3 or 4); women living with HIV using antiretroviral therapy (ART). Hormonal contraceptives include: combined oral contraceptive pills (COCs), combined injectable contraceptives (CICs), combined contraceptive patches and rings, progestogen-only injectables (depot medroxyprogesterone acetate [DMPA] and norethisterone enantate [NET-EN]), progestogen-only pills (POPs), levonorgestrel (LNG) and etonogestrel (ETG) implants, and levonorgestrel-releasing IUDs (LNG-IUDs). These are all effective or highly effective methods of pregnancy prevention. These contraceptive methods alleviate overall pregnancy- related morbidity and mortality, improve infant and child health, and reduce vertical transmission of HIV among women living with HIV who wish to prevent pregnancy. For women at high risk of HIV, living with HIV, or taking antiretroviral medicines (ARVs), consideration must be given to the relationship between the use of hormonal contraceptive methods and HIV-related risks. Additionally, women at high risk of HIV or living with HIV may require information about and access to HIV preventive measures. Such measures include, among others, condoms (male or female), voluntary male circumcision, voluntary HIV counselling and testing, and antiretroviral treatment (ART) for HIV- positive partners in serodiscordant partnerships
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