Contraception and Hormonal Therapy in Women with Diabetes Mellitus

Abstract

The administration of hormone steroids in women with Diabetes Mellitus (DM), either via suppressive doses as contraceptives administrated in order to prevent pregnancy, or by using substitutive doses as hormonal therapy (HT) in periods of peri or postmenopause, represents a therapeutic decision-making challenge for both health care providers, the endocrinologist and the gynecologist. The World Health Organization (WHO) has stipulated regulations on the prescription of contraceptive methods for women with DM in a safety guideline document of consensus, whose recommendations on this matter, for the purpose of facilitating its prescription, will be the object of analysis in this manuscript. Our analysis of such valuable proposals will not only consist in carrying out a critically review of the existing studies regarding hormonal therapy in diabetic postmenopausal women, but also by establishing the parameters that physicians should take into consideration before prescribing any hormonal regimen, to make the right risk/benefit balance and to establish the ideal time of use, accordingly to each patient needs and concerns.