According to the University of Iowa Health Care women with porphyria should not use the new combined pill... http://www.vh.org/Providers/ClinRef/FPHa...
An article in the British Medical Journal states "acute attacks are often triggered by exposure to a wide range of commonly prescribed drugs[11]; illicit drugs including amphetamines, cocaine, and derivatives; alcohol misuse; fasting; stress; infection; sex hormone treatment; and smoking (box).[12] In women relapses occur particularly premenstrually and in pregnancy. Acute attacks are most common in people in their 30s, and are four to five times more common in females than in males, with a peak age of presentation in the early 30s. Only 10-15% of gene carriers develop the clinical syndrome. A third of patients have no family history, the condition probably having remained latent (inactive) or unidentified for several generations. The frequency and severity of the attacks vary widely. In some people the disease remains latent throughout life, even in the presence of precipitating factors. Other people experience frequent and sometimes life threatening attacks, even in the apparent absence of exogenous precipitating factors." http://www.findarticles.com/m0999/7250_3...
An extensive range of combined oral contraceptives are available, http://www.dundee.ac.uk/medicine/tayendo...
Estrogens in birth control pills can set off an attack of porphyria in susceptible patients and are therefore contraindicated in patients with this disease... http://www.obgyn.net/firstcontroversies/...
The copper-T IUD is significantly more effective than the pills, but they are not ideal for all women. Poor candidates would be those women at high risk of STDs where insertion could lead to PID. Once placed, the IUD could be left for up to 10 years for continued contraception. http://www.nmmc.com/nmhc/library/htm/con...
Female sex hormones may be dangerous in patients with acute intermittent porphyria (AIP). They should never be prescribed or taken without thought as they may induce the acute attack of porphyria which can be life-threatening. http://www.uct.ac.za/depts/liver/notes/h...
Check out all your options before you decide on one type of contraception. Side effects will be different for everyone. Do your homework before you take the word of your prescriber.
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