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CHC and hypertension — DFSRH MCQ

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HardCombined hormonal contraceptionCHC and hypertensionDFSRH

A 42-year-old woman requests the combined contraceptive patch. Her BMI is 28 kg/m2, she stopped smoking 4 years ago, and her clinic blood pressure is 162/102 mmHg on two readings 10 minutes apart. Urinalysis is normal and she has no symptoms. What is the UKMEC category for this method?

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Correct answer: D — UKMEC 4

Severe hypertension at or above 160/100 mmHg is UKMEC 4 for CHC, including pill, patch and ring. The tempting alternative is UKMEC 3, which applies to less severe hypertension rather than this reading. The teaching point is that blood pressure should be measured before CHC initiation and markedly raised values change eligibility.

Reference: FSRH UKMEC; FSRH Guideline Combined Hormonal Contraception