Contraceptive advice for people with SLE

Andreoli, 2017The Faculty of Sexual & Reproductive Healthcare (FSRH), 2016

Contraception should be discussed early when managing people with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Contraception needs to be tailored to individual needs and risk profile. Ideally, pregnancy should be a planned event for people with SLE, so choice of contraception is very important to prevent unplanned pregnancy.

In people with SLE, estrogen-containing oral contraceptives are contraindicated if antiphosholipid antibodies are present, because there is a higher risk of thromboembolic events. See Contraception and venous thromboembolism for more advice.