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High Altitude Medicine and BiologyVolume 25, Issue 4, 1 December 2024, Pages 255-265

Hormonal Contraception and Menstrual Cycle Control at High Altitude: A Scoping Review—UIAA Medical Commission Recommendations(Review)

  • Horakova, L.,
  • Kriemler, S.,
  • Študent, V.,
  • Pichler Hefti, J.,
  • Hillebrandt, D.,
  • Jean, D.,
  • Mateikaitė-Pipirienė, K.,
  • Paal, P.,
  • Rosier, A.,
  • Andjelkovic, M.,
  • Beidlemann, B.,
  • Derstine, M.,
  • Keyes, L.E.
  • View Correspondence (jump link)
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  • aMedical Commission of the International Climbing and Mountaineering Federation (UIAA), Bern, Switzerland
  • bDepartment of Biomedical Technology, Faculty of Biomedical Engineering, Czech Technical University Prague, Kladno, Czech Republic
  • cEpidemiology, Biostatistics and Prevention Institute, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
  • dDepartment of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Prachatice Hospital, Prachatice, Czech Republic
  • eSwiss Sportclinic, Bern, Switzerland
  • fGeneral Medical Practitioner, Holsorthy, United Kingdom
  • gPediatrics, Infectious Diseases and Altitude Medicine, Grenoble, France
  • hDiaverum Dialysis Clinic, Elektrenai, Lithuania
  • iDepartment of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, St. John of God Hospital, Paracelsus Medical University, Salzburg, Austria
  • jPharmacy, Singidunum University, Belgrade, Serbia
  • kMilitary Performance Division, US Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine, Natick, MA, United States
  • lDepartment of Emergency Medicine, University of Colorado, Aurora, CO, United States

Abstract

Horakova, Lenka, Susi Kriemler, Vladimír Študent, Jacqueline Pichler Hefti, David Hillebrandt, Dominique Jean, Kastė Mateikaitė-Pipirienė, Peter Paal, Alison Rosier, Marija Andjelkovic, Beth Beidlemann, Mia Derstine, and Linda E. Keyes. Hormonal contraception and menstrual cycle control at high altitude: a scoping review—UIAA Medical Commission recommendations. High Alt Med Biol. 25:255-265, 2024. Background: Women who use hormonal contraception (HC) may have questions about their use during travel to high altitude. This scoping review summarizes current evidence on the efficacy and safety of HC and cycle control during high-altitude travel. Methods: We performed a scoping review for the International Climbing and Mountaineering Federation (UIAA) Medical Commission series on Women’s Health in the Mountains. Pertinent literature from PubMed and Cochrane was identified by keyword search combinations (including contraception) with additional publications found by hand search. Results: We identified 17 studies from 7,165 potentially eligible articles. No articles assessed the efficacy of contraception during a short-term high-altitude sojourn. Current data show no advantage or disadvantage in HC users for acclimatization or acute mountain sickness (AMS). Use of HC during high-altitude travel is common and safe for menses suppression. A potential concern of estrogen-containing HC is the increased thrombotic risk, which theoretically could be compounded in hypobaric hypoxia. Conclusions: Evidence is limited for the interaction of HC and high altitude on performance, thrombosis, and contraceptive efficacy. HC does not affect the risk of AMS. The most efficacious and safest method at high altitude is generally the one women are most familiar with and already using. Copyright 2024, Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers.

Author keywords

acute mountain sicknessHypobaric hypoxiamountaineeringthrombosiswomen’s health

Indexed keywords

EMTREE medical terms:altitudealtitude acclimatizationaltitude diseasecontraceptive effectivenessgastrointestinal symptomhormonal contraceptionhumanhypoxiamedical servicemenstrual cyclemenstrual irregularitymountaineeringpublicationReviewrisk factorthrombosistraveldrug effectfemalehormonal contraceptionphysiologyprocedures
MeSH:AltitudeFemaleHormonal ContraceptionHumansMenstrual CycleMountaineering

Funding details

  • 1

    The authors are grateful and indebted to the International Climbing and Mountaineering Federation (UIAA) Medical Commission\u2019s President Dr Urs Hefti for convening this group and supporting this project both virtually and live in Diavolezza, Switzerland, and to Carol Kahoun for her tireless and excellent administrative support.

  • ISSN: 15270297
  • CODEN: HAMBB
  • Source Type: Journal
  • Original language: English
  • DOI: 10.1089/ham.2024.0021
  • PubMed ID: 38607652
  • Document Type: Review
  • Publisher: Mary Ann Liebert Inc.

  Keyes, L.E.; Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Colorado, Aurora, CO, United States;
© Copyright 2024 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.

Cited by 1 document

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