Contraceptive practices before and after an intervention promoting condom use to prevent HIV infection and other sexually transmitted diseases among women -- selected U.S. sites 1993-1995.

A Centers for Disease Control analysis of longitudinal data on condom use promotion for control of HIV/sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) refuted concerns that such promotion may jeopardize use of hormonal contraception for pregnancy prevention. Enrolled in the study were 1793 HIV-negative heterosexual US women recruited from inner-city STD clinics in California Colorado Maryland and New Jersey. As part of the study participants received counseling encouraging consistent condom use with all male sex partners. At enrollment 32% of participants had at least one STD. At the three-month follow-up 188 (75%) of the 249 women who were using hormonal contraception at enrollment were still using this method; only 12% changed from using hormonal methods to condoms for contraception. In addition 10% of women who were using no contraception or a minimally effective method at enrollment had adopted hormonal contraception use. Overall consistent condom use increased from 13% at baseline to 36% at follow-up. By method consistent condom use increased from 8% to 34% among the 208 sterilized women from 10% to 31% among the 249 women who used hormonal methods from 28% to 47% among the 345 condom users from 0% to 33% among the 15 users of barrier methods and from 1% to 30% among the 223 women using no contraception or a minimally effective method.