Abstract
There is concern regarding the influence of hormonal contraceptives on bone mineral density (BMD), especially following the alert issued by the US FDA regarding the use of depot–medroxyprogesterone acetate (DMPA). That statement raised the concern, not only for health providers but also for users and potential users, that other combined contraceptives and progestin-only (p-only) contraceptives could have a deleterious effect on BMD. Overall, hormonal and nonhormonal contraceptives are known to have a high impact on the lives and health of women, as well as on public health. The benefits greatly surpass any risks, including the risk of any potential effect on BMD. Although convincing evidence is accumulating that DMPA may cause loss of BMD, most studies evaluating the effects of combined and other p-only contraceptives on BMD have failed to find a strong effect. Some have reported a beneficial effect. However, hormonal contraceptives were not designed to protect bone health and further studies are necessary.