1. a special workshop on female sex hormones and RA was held in an attempt to reach a consensus among all the groups with a past or current interest in the field, the proceedings of which have been published.7 17-19 22 24 Two meta-analyses were presented, in which all reported relative risks of RA for ever users of the oral contraceptive pill were pooled. Each one reported a slight protective effect, with pooled estimates of relative risks of 0-73 (95% confidence interval (CI) 0-61 to 0-85)'7 and 0 79 (95% CI 0-58 to 108).'8 The preliminary confirmation of a protective effect of oral contraceptive use on the onset of RA by a methodological impressive study being conducted in Seattle7 supported the conclusion of the workshop that oral contraceptives probably have some association;In,1989
2. Reduction in incidence of rheumatoid arthritis associated with oral contraceptives;J, Wingrave S.; R, Kay C.;Lancet,1978
3. Oral contraceptives and rheumatoid arthritis: further evidence for a preventive effect;P, Vandenbroucke J.; A, Valkenburg H.; W, Boersma J.;Lancet,1982
4. Noncontraceptive hormones and rheumatoid arthritis in perimenopausal and postmenopausal women;P, Vandenbroucke J.; M, Witteman J.C.; A, Valkenburg H.;JAMA,1986
5. Reduction of the risk of rheumatoid arthritis among women who take oral contraceptives;W, Hazes J.M.; C, Dijkmans B.A.; P, Vandenbroucke J.; P, De Vries R.R.; A, Cats;Arthritis Rheum,1990