The Latest Study on Contraceptive Risks: What You Need to Know

New research indicates that certain contraceptives may elevate the risk of heart attacks and strokes in women. While these risks are low overall, medical professionals advise being aware of these potential side effects when prescribing certain types of hormonal contraception.

Study Highlights: Key Findings

Academics analyzed data from over two million Danish women aged 15 to 49 who had been prescribed various forms of hormonal contraception. This included combined oral contraceptives, progestogen-only pills, hormonal intrauterine devices, contraceptive implants, injections, patches, and vaginal rings.

The findings revealed that women taking combined oestrogen-progestin pills—commonly used oral contraceptives—had about a two-fold increased risk of heart attacks or strokes.

Progestin-only contraceptives, such as pills and implants, showed a slight elevation in risk, although lower than that associated with combined formulations. Non-oral combined contraceptives, particularly the vaginal ring and patch, demonstrated higher risks.

The vaginal ring was linked to a 2.4-fold higher risk of stroke and a 3.8-fold increased risk of heart attack, while the patch carried a 3.4-fold increased risk of stroke.

Expert Insights and Recommendations

Dr. Becky Mawson, a clinical lecturer in primary care at the University of Sheffield and a GP with a focus on sexual and reproductive health, advised women not to stop using contraception based on this study.

“The risk of stroke and heart attack during pregnancy and the postnatal period is significantly higher than the risks reported in this study for contraceptives,” Dr. Mawson emphasized.

She added that for women using contraceptives to manage health conditions, the benefits often outweigh the slightly increased risk, but they should discuss their options with healthcare providers, especially those with pre-existing cardiovascular risk factors.

Risk vs. Benefit: A Closer Look

The study’s findings were published in The BMJ, where the researchers highlighted their nationwide cohort study. They noted that combined oestrogen-progestin and progestin-only contraceptives, except for the levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine device, were associated with an increased risk of arterial thrombotic events.

Therese Johansson from the Royal Institute of Technology in Sweden echoed the importance of weighing risks against benefits. She pointed out that these conditions are “rare” in young women, with the combined oestrogen-progestin pill posing a two-fold increase in the risk of ischemic stroke and myocardial infarction, corresponding to an additional ischemic stroke in 4,760 women per year and additional heart attacks in 10,000 women annually.

“It is important to note that the absolute risk remains low,” Johansson emphasized, highlighting the significance given that 248 million women worldwide use hormonal contraceptives daily.

Alternative Options

The levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine system stood out as the safest option for cardiovascular health, showing no increase in related risks. Johannson advocated for making this alternative more accessible to women with cardiovascular risk factors.

“Women should take away the importance of smoking cessation, healthy eating, and exercise to minimize the small increased risk of stroke or heart attack associated with being on the pill,” advised Dr. Channa Jayasena, a consultant in reproductive endocrinology at Imperial College London.

Jayasena recommended consulting a healthcare provider to consider alternative options like a hormonal coil, especially for those with high risks of stroke or heart attack.

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Choosing the Right Contraceptive Method

With numerous contraceptive options available, selecting the right one can be challenging. Factors to consider include the frequency of use and potential side effects, such as headaches, nausea, mood swings, weight gain, breast tenderness, and acne.

Hormonal methods come with risks like blood clots and breast cancer, so not all will be suitable for everyone. Some methods,