The majority of women use birth control pills to stop from getting pregnant. There is another set of young women who also use it to control and manage their periods. That brings many to wonder if it is safe to take birth control for extended periods.
Before taking the pill, here are some things our women and girls need to know:
Three kinds of birth control use estrogen: the combination pill, the patch, and the vaginal ring.
There's an increased risk in blood clots with the methods containing estrogen. Because of this higher blood clot risk, deep vein thrombosis (DVT), strokes, and heart attacks, estrogen-containing birth control is not recommended if you have other risk factors, including:
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- You smoke and you're over age 35.
- You have a history of heart disease, deep vein thrombosis, or a pulmonary embolism.
- You'll be undergoing surgery that will keep you off your feet for a long time.
One other concern many women have about estrogen-containing birth control is whether it raises the risk of breast cancer. A study published in 2010 that followed more than 100,000 women found there was a very slight increase in risk for women on the triphasic type of pills -- the dose of estrogen in those changes in three phases over the month. But a later study that looked at women on 38 different formulations of birth control pills found no rise in risk with any of them.
One thing we do know for sure about birth control pills is that they lower your chances of getting ovarian and uterine cancer.
A progestin called drospirenone is found in some birth control pills such as Yaz, Yasmin, Gianvi, Syeda, Safyral, and Beyaz and is linked to a higher risk for blood clots than other pills control pills. Drospirenone may also raise potassium levels in the blood which may cause heart or health problems. It is important to discuss your health history with your doctor prior to using these birth control pills.
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Birth control pills can also cause breast pain or vaginal dryness; these side effects may continue with use or subside.
Birth control pills should NOT be used by women who have a history of:
- breast cancer
- endometrial cancer
- unexplained vaginal bleeding...
- liver tumors or liver disease
- increased clotting or stroke risk
- if currently pregnant
Smoking increases the risk of serious heart side effects when using a combined estrogen and progestin birth control, including the ring or the patch. This risk increases with heavy smoking (more than15 cigarettes per day). Combination estrogen and progestin birth control should NOT be used in women over 35 years of age who smoke due to an increased risk of rare but serious side effects, such as heart attack, blood clots, and stroke.
Women of any age should avoid combination hormonal birth control if they have a history of:
- uncontrolled high blood pressure
- chest pain
- diabetes
- severe headaches
- heart or liver disease
- blood clots or stroke
Cardiovascular risks increase with age, weight, family history of heart disease, and number of cigarettes smoked per day.
