The effects of hormonal contraceptive use among women with viral hepatitis or cirrhosis of the liver: a systematic review.

Background: This report evaluates the effects of hormonal contraceptive use among women with viral hepatitis or cirrhosis of the liver.

Methods: PubMed and Cochrane databases were searched from inception to June 2008 for publications that examined the use of hormonal contraceptives among women with viral hepatitis or cirrhosis of the liver.

Results: Six studies met the inclusion criteria. In one study of acute hepatitis, combined oral contraceptive (COC) use did not affect duration of hospitalization or successful disease resolution. The remainder of the studies examined chronic hepatitis or its sequelae. Women recovered from hepatitis experienced transaminase elevation with COC use which resolved after 4 weeks in one study or increased slightly over 6 months in another study. Hepatitis B virus carriers using COCs had similar transaminase levels as nonusing carriers over 6 months. Studies of chronic hepatitis C infection demonstrated no influence of COC use on progression or severity of liver fibrosis or development of hepatocellular carcinoma.

Conclusion: Data from one study suggest that COCs do not affect the course of acute hepatitis. Limited data from studies on chronic hepatitis or its sequelae suggest that COC use does not affect the rate of progression or severity of cirrhotic fibrosis, the risk of hepatocellular carcinoma in women with chronic hepatitis, or the risk of liver dysfunction in hepatitis B virus carriers.