Concordant and discordant effects on cardiovascular risks exerted by oestrogen and progestogen in women using oral contraception and hormone replacement therapy

The major indications for the clinical use of oestrogen and progestogen are oral contraception (OC) in young women, and hormonal replacement therapy (HRT) in menopause. Over the past few years, epidemiological data have associated the use of these hormones to different cardiovascular conditions such as myocardial infarction, cerebrovascular disease and venous thromboembolism. This review summarizes the data discussed and the conclusions achieved by the ESHRE Capri Workshop Group, recently published in Human Reproduction.