Is the oral contraceptive pill associated with fracture in later life? New evidence from the Royal College of General Practitioners Oral Contraception Study
Several studies, including an earlier analysis from the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) Oral Contraception Study, have suggested that ever users of oral contraceptives have an increased risk of fracture when compared with never users. In this paper, we examined a subset of women in the RCGP study living in Scotland to determine whether this risk has persisted.
Study Design
A nested case-control study was carried out using data collected prospectively for the RCGP Oral Contraception Study. Cases were women with a first ever diagnosis of fracture (n=651), age-matched to two controls (n=1302). Adjustments were made for smoking, social class and parity.
Results
There was not a significant association between ever use of oral contraception and fracture (adjusted odds ratio 1.05, 95% confidence interval 0.86-1.29), compared with never users. Neither were significant associations found between fracture and smoking, social class and parity. The findings did not vary materially with age or type of fracture.
Conclusion
Ever use of oral contraception was not associated with fracture in this study.
oral contraceptive pill fracture risk later life, RCGP oral contraception study fracture nested case-control, oral contraceptive ever use bone fracture association, contraceptive pill bone density fracture postmenopausal women, Royal College General Practitioners oral contraception long-term outcomes, oral contraceptive fracture risk age-matched controls, hormonal contraception skeletal health fracture epidemiology, oral contraceptive osteoporosis fracture prospective cohort Scotland, combined oral contraceptive bone mineral density fracture risk, nested case-control study contraceptive use fracture outcome
PMID 21664509 21664509 DOI 10.1016/j.contraception.2010.11.019 10.1016/j.contraception.2010.11.019
Cite this article
Memon, S., Iversen, L., & Hannaford, P. C. (2011). Is the oral contraceptive pill associated with fracture in later life? New evidence from the Royal College of General Practitioners Oral Contraception Study. Contraception, 84(1), 40-47. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.contraception.2010.11.019
Memon S, Iversen L, Hannaford PC. Is the oral contraceptive pill associated with fracture in later life? New evidence from the Royal College of General Practitioners Oral Contraception Study. Contraception. 2011;84(1):40-47. doi:10.1016/j.contraception.2010.11.019
Memon, S., et al. "Is the oral contraceptive pill associated with fracture in later life? New evidence from the Royal College of General Practitioners Oral Contraception Study." Contraception, vol. 84, no. 1, 2011, pp. 40-47.
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