Safety and effectiveness of contraception among women with chronic kidney disease: A systematic review.

OBJECTIVES

To systematically review evidence on the safety and effectiveness of contraceptive use among women with chronic kidney disease (CKD).

STUDY

DESIGN

We searched for articles in multiple databases from database inception through December 12, 2022, that assessed safety and effectiveness of contraceptive use among women with CKD; all study designs were included. We extracted data from included articles; for studies that were not case series or case reports, we assessed risk of bias and determined certainty of evidence for each outcome.

RESULTS

Eight articles, including 5 case reports, met inclusion criteria. All articles assessed safety outcomes associated with contraceptive use among women with CKD; none examined contraceptive effectiveness. Risk of bias for three studies (not including case reports) ranged from moderate to high and varied by outcome. One prospective cohort study observed no increased risk of hypertension or end stage renal disease among oral contraceptive (type unknown) users compared with non-users, while a non-randomized trial observed no changes in blood pressure over 21 days among 5 peritoneal dialysis patients using combined oral contraceptives. Another non-randomized trial examined hyperkalemia risk among drospirenone progestin-only pill users; hyperkalemia did not develop in participants with normal, mild, or moderate renal impairment. Four case reports described adverse events among intrauterine device (IUD) users, and one case report described decreased bleeding with levonorgestrel IUD use.

CONCLUSION

Despite several theoretical concerns (e.g., worsening kidney disease, worsening hypertension, and thrombosis) about the safety of contraception among women with CKD, data are limited, and the certainty of existing evidence is very low.

IMPLICATIONS: Health care providers can use the information in this review when counseling women with CKD about contraceptive decision-making. More research is needed to better understand the safety and effectiveness of the full range of available contraceptive methods among women with CKD.