Oral contraceptive use and risk of vulvodynia: a population‐based longitudinal study

Objective To assess whether the risk of vulvodynia is associated with previous use of oral contraceptives (OCs). Design Longitudinal population‐based study. Setting Four counties in south‐east Michigan, USA. Population A population‐based sample of women, aged 18 years and older, enrolled using random‐digit dialling. Methods Enrolled women completed surveys that included information on demographic characteristics, health status, current symptoms, past and present OC use, and a validated screen for vulvodynia. The temporal relationship between OC use and subsequent symptoms of vulvodynia was assessed using Cox regression, with OC exposure modelled as a time‐varying covariate. Main outcome measure Vulvodynia, as determined by validated screen. Results Women aged