THE RISK OF BIRTH CONTROL PILLS
1. Circulatory disorders (including blood clots in legs, lungs, heart, eyes or brain)
Blood clots are the most common serious side effect of birth control pills. Clots can occur
in many areas of the body.
# In the brain, a clot can result in a stroke.
# In a blood vessel of the heart, a clot can result in a heart attack.
# In the legs and pelvis, a clot can break off and travel to the lung resulting in a
pulmonary embolus.
# In a blood vessel leading to an arm or leg, a clot can result in damage to or loss of
a limb.
Any of these conditions can cause death or disability. Clots also occur rarely in the blood
vessels of the eye, resulting in blindness or impaired vision.
Women who use birth control pills have a higher incidence of blood clots. While the risk
of blood clots increases with age in both pill users and non users, the increased risk from
the pill appears to be present at all ages. The risk of clotting seems to increase with
higher estrogen doses. It is important, therefore, to use as low a dosage of estrogen as
possible.
Cigarette smoking increases the risk of serious adverse effects on
the heart and blood vessels. This risk increases with age and
becomes significant in birth control pill users over 35 years of age.
Women should not smoke.