healthbriefs
Little Known Risk of Birth Control Pills and Stroke
S
troke is the third leading cause of death for women in the United
States. Few people know the risk of stroke associated with the use of birth control. The American Heart Association and the American Stroke Association recently published guidelines warning against the increased risk of stroke which birth control may have. The idea that women taking oral
contraceptives, or birth control pills (BCPs), increase their risk for blood clots and subsequent ischemic stroke, is not new. A 1962 research paper was reportedly the fi rst to suggest a link between the two. The idea was that a high dose of the hormone estradiol, once as high as 150 micrograms (mcgs), was infl uencing this risk. But technology has greatly advanced since the 1960s— meaning all forms of birth control, not just pills have advanced, too. There is a new study that found there’s a “small, but signifi cant increased risk of stroke” among women on BCPs. The risk for heart attack and stroke is greatly increased if a woman takes birth control pills and smokes cigarettes, or takes birth control pills and has high blood pressure. If you’re a numbers person, researchers found that there are about 4.4 ischemic strokes for every 100,000 women of childbearing age. In women taking BCPs, that number of strokes increases to 8.5. Any increased risk of stroke associated with hormonal contraception must be placed in the context of the absolute stroke risk in the studied population. The truth is that the pill is one of the most studied forms of medication available, and we know that most women can use hormonal birth control safely. However, all medications have some risks, so safety is a concern when choosing a birth control method. There are many contraceptive options for women—and all come with different benefi ts and risks. It’s important that you talk with your health care provider about all the potential risks and benefi ts of any specifi c method. The bottom line: Women should feel free to try different forms of birth control, because birth control is «not one-size-fi ts-all.” A method that’s perfect for one woman may not be right for another, and for most women, you may need a different method at different points in your life. As a woman’s life changes— her family, her goals, her plans—she may need or want different birth control methods. Also, many methods of birth control do not protect against sexually- transmitted diseases. Women researching safe and effective forms of birth control should also keep in mind that combining the chosen method with condoms will prevent STD’s (Sexually Transmitted Diseases) including HIV.
Join Dr. Channing C. Bolick, DC on Wednesday, May 11 at 6:30 pm at the Casselberry Library (Jean Rhein Central Branch Library, 215 N. Oxford Road, Casselberry, 32707) for a free workshop: “Balancing Hormones Naturally” this workshop will cover perimenopause, menopause and thyroid disorders. Reserve your space today. Seating is limited. See
www.bolickclinic.com for additional information or
contact Dr. Channing C. Bolick, D.C. at 407-278-5253 to make an appointment for a health evaluation.
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