Who Can and Cannot Use Combined Oral Contraceptives
Combined Oral Contraceptives
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Safe and Suitable for Nearly All Women Nearly all women can use COCs safely and effectively, including women who:
yy Have or have not had children yy Are not married yy Are of any age, including adolescents and women over 40 years old yy Have just had an abortion or miscarriage yy Smoke cigarettes—if under 35 years old yy Have anemia now or had in the past yy Have varicose veins yy Are infected with HIV, whether or not on antiretroviral therapy, unless that therapy includes ritonavir (see Combined Oral Contraceptives for Women With HIV, p. 9) Women can begin using COCs:
yy Without a pelvic examination yy Without any blood tests or other routine laboratory tests yy Without cervical cancer screening yy Without a breast examination yy Even when a woman is not having monthly bleeding at the time, if it is reasonably certain she is not pregnant (see Pregnancy Checklist, p. 372)
Who Can and Cannot Use Combined Oral Contraceptives
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