3. b. Concerns related to Contraception Method
To avoid unplanned pregnancies, women with HPV needed more information
to choose preferable contraception. As long-term use of birth control
pills increases the cervical cancer risk for women with persistent HPV,
users recommended changing their contraception method. Women were
worried about the negative impacts of combined oral contraceptives
(COCs) and levonorgestrel (LNG) pills on their cellular changes.
”We use the pull-out (withdrawal) to prevent pregnancy, but
sometimes I use emergency pills. I don’t know if they can weaken my
immune system. I read online that birth pills may induce cervical
cancer. Are the emergency pills as harmful as the OCPs?” (P.17)
”I’ve taken LD pills after my daughter was born, which is about
nine years. They said I have to stop taking them. I don’t know what to
do. My husband does not use a condom.” (P.11)
Some women in a monogamous relationship reported they (or their
husbands) are reluctant to use a condom. They wanted to know why using a
condom is essential for HPV-positive patients when they already had HPV.