Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2024 Spring;30(2):1-8.
doi: 10.46292/sci23-00081. Epub 2024 May 23.

Considerations for Contraception Following Spinal Cord Injury: A Systematic Review

Lauren M Hall  1   2 , Chinenye C Nnoromele  3   4 , Amber Trujillo Lalla  5   6 , Claudia B Hentschel  1   2 , Chloe Slocum  1   2
Affiliations

Considerations for Contraception Following Spinal Cord Injury: A Systematic Review

Lauren M Hall et al. Top Spinal Cord Inj Rehabil. 2024 Spring.

Abstract

Introduction: Counseling and education on women's health, specifically contraception, following spinal cord injury (SCI) is an important component of care for women with SCI. While a plethora of available contraceptive options exists, research in this area is scarce.

Objectives: This systematic review assesses the quality and quantity of research on contraception for individuals with SCI.

Methods: Literature searches of three medical databases were performed to identify articles that addressed contraception and family planning for women with SCI. Articles were then screened in a two-stage selection process and evaluated for content.

Results: Of 165 articles, 21 were identified that fit the inclusion criteria. The majority (66%) of articles were literature reviews or professional practice guidelines. Fourteen (66%) included information on short-acting hormonal oral contraception, 11 (52%) included information on long-acting reversible contraception, 15 (71%) included information on barrier methods, 6 (29%) included information on fertility awareness, 9 (43%) included information on permanent contraception, and one (5%) included information on emergency contraception.

Discussion: This systematic review demonstrates a paucity of evidence-based information on contraception tailored to women with SCI. It highlights a need for research and comprehensive guidelines on primary and emergency contraception in this population.

Keywords: contraception; contraceptives; family planning; spinal cord injury; women with spinal cord injury; women's health.

PubMed Disclaimer

References

    1. Nosek MA, Howland CA. Breast and cervical cancer screening among women with physical disabilities. Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 1997;78(12 suppl 5):S39–44. - PubMed
    1. Jackson AB, Wadley V. A multicenter study of women's self-reported reproductive health after spinal cord injury. Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 1999;80(11):1420–1428. - PubMed
    1. National Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Center Spinal Cord Injury Model Systems 2022 annual report-complete public version; University of Alabama at Birmingham; [Accessed September 27, 2023].
    1. Stoffel JT, Van der Aa F, Wittmann D, Yande S, Elliott S. Fertility and sexuality in the spinal cord injury patient. World J Urol. 2018;36(10):1577–1585. doi: 10.1007/s00345-018-2347-y. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Curtis KM, Jatlaoui TC, Tepper NK, et al. U.S. selected practice recommendations for contraceptive use, 2016. MMWR Recomm Rep. 2016;65(4):1–66. doi: 10.15585/mmwr.rr6504a1. - DOI - PubMed

Publication types

LinkOut - more resources