Hormonal contraceptives, human papillomaviruses and cervical cancer; some observations from a colposcopy clinic.

Observations from a colposcopy clinic from 1982-1985 are presented and show that in women with histologically proven precancerous lesions, those using hormone contraception had a significantly higher infection rate with human papillomavirus (HPV). Hormone contraception was preferred by younger women. Because information relating to sexual behaviour was not available for analysis, the findings in this study need to be interpreted with caution. The association of HPV and cervical cancers is well established. If hormonal contraceptive use and simultaneous HPV infection are associated with cervical neoplasia, and laboratory evidence supports this thesis, then further urgent investigations are needed for the implications are grave.