Despite many years of research, controversy persists as to whether hormonal contraception promotes HIV acquisition. A number of observational studies on depot medroxyprogesterone acetate (DMPA) injection showed an increase in HIV risk and no evidence of increased risk with oral contraceptive pills. There are no human studies currently published on the impact of the levonorgestrel intrauterine device (LNG IUD) on HIV transmission risk and minimal data on the effects of the etonogestrel subdermal implant (ESI) on risk of HIV acquisition. Establishing whether any of these highly effective contraceptives increases the risk of HIV infection would have far-reaching public health implications, particularly in areas of high HIV prevalence such as sub-Saharan Africa, where injectable contraception accounts for nearly half of contraceptive use.