Yet, there’s little panic over the contraceptive pill, a medicine that has a higher risk of causing blood clots, and is used on a daily basis across the world. As mentioned, taking the COCP does indeed carry an increased risk of developing clots. Over the following week, Kirsty began vomiting and displaying symptoms linked to migraines, such as a sensitivity to light. The opinions expressed here are the views of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of News Medical. "I went to pick it back up, but I physically couldn’t. What is the oral contraceptive pill and how does it work? Nothing on the right side worked.". I thought I was, but maybe I wasn’t being as responsible as I thought.". the two forms of oral contraceptives are available, a combination estrogen and progestin pill and a progestin-only pill. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. That was quite scary," Kirsty remembered. They gave her blood thinners to try to dissolve the clot, kept her in for a night to check she was fully hydrated, and then sent Kirsty home. Azizi, Maryam. Contraceptive pill blood clot risk: Stay hydrated, watch your weight, and keep physically active to reduce risk of blood clots (Image: Getty) How can you reduce the risk of blood clots on the pill? Dr Lee explained: “VTE is a blood clot that usually develops in the deep veins of the leg when it is called a deep vein thrombosis (DVT). You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. However, it may also be prescribed for the management of hormonal imbalances leading to heavy or irregular periods or acne. But then Kirsty shed some light on what had actually happened. It just wouldn’t go, it lasted all evening and I couldn’t do anything, I couldn’t even sleep," she said. A new study, using two large GP databases, set out to refine the assessment of the risk. Investigating what caused the blood clot that triggered the stroke, doctors assessed Kirsty for clotting disorders and found nothing. Women are at ‘far greater’ risk of developing blood clots from taking the contraceptive pill than from the Oxford/AstraZeneca jab, a leading vaccine expert has said. Looking at her lifestyle choices, the doctors zoned in on the contraceptive pill as the likely trigger, given that blood clots are a known (although rare) side effect. Blood clot risk is primarily increased by the … . Younger women are those most likely to take this pill. How long can you safely take the pill for? "I had no energy, I couldn’t really communicate. In an article in the Lancet journal last year, Margaret McCartney - an NHS GP in Scotland - wrote of how the estimated incidence of a blood clot with the combined oral contraceptive pill is about five per 10,000 women per year. But worse than that, she felt completely lifeless. "The risk of stroke from using contraception is very low, but some types of hormone-based contraception such as the pill, have an increased risk of stroke. Azizi, Maryam. While this eventuality was very real for Kirsty, who made good steps towards a recovery in the months following her stroke, Claire Shuttleworth, Prevention Marketing Manager at the Stroke Association, was keen to remind women that this is still an incredibly rare occurrence. Immediate angiography for stroke patients linked to improved recovery, less disability, American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, https://doi.org/10.1016/S0002-9378(87)80129-1, www.medsafe.govt.nz/Profs/PUarticles/contraceptivesandblood.htm, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1436047/, Study highlights how women's choice of birth control is affected by out-of-pocket costs, COVID-19: Several 'proxy wars' spawned by the pandemic, Researchers reveal blood clot risk and anticoagulation benefits in discharged COVID-19 patients, Women with diabetes less likely to use contraception after diagnosis, study finds, New insights on how certain blood types may predispose to diseases, Contraception counseling, pregnancy planning are necessary to optimize health of women with heart disease, Myths about modern contraceptive impact family planning in Sub-Saharan Africa, Researchers investigate link between COVID-19 and increased risk of blood clot formation, Striking difference identified between mRNA vaccination vs. SARS-CoV-2 infection immune responses, How effective is the Pfizer-BioNTech (BNT162b2) COVID-19 vaccine? with these terms and conditions. "In my head I could see the countries, I could see the names, I just couldn’t verbalise it. Taking the contraceptive pill is more likely to give you a blood clot than having the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine, a doctor has said. Why does the pill slightly increase risk of blood clots? I couldn’t even use my phone," she said. For comparison, the risk from the contraceptive pill of developing any clot is higher — with around one in 1,600 women being affected each year. The pill is by no means a bad thing, as long as you take it sensibly. She was kept in hospital for four nights while medical teams monitored her and rehab staff ensured she was returning to her full capabilities. Blood clots from the pill are rare, but they can happen. Oral contraceptives raise the risk of clots, but they're still unusual. This content is imported from Twitter. The NBCA states that the 1 in 1,000 women per year taking birth control pills will develop a blood clot. "To be on the safe side, some days if I’d forgotten if I’d already taken one, I would take two. Usually, women tend to suffer side effects of the contraceptive pill within the first year of taking it. In light of fears about blood clots from the AstraZeneca COVID vaccine, we explore how the daily contraceptive pill can also lead to a blood clot and a resulting stroke. So, it’s a higher risk than not taking it, but much less than the chance of developing a blood clot if you were to get pregnant instead. The headaches, which lasted no longer than 10 minutes at a time, persisted for six months. There are some risks associated with using the combined contraceptive pill. The combined pill prevents the ovaries from releasing eggs, thickens cervical mucus, and thins the uterine lining. Oral contraceptive pills increase the risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE), which can be fatal. "I was at home, laid on the sofa holding my phone up above me when I dropped it on my face," said Kirsty. Did Younes throw shade at Kourtney and Travis? The contraceptive pill is most often used to prevent pregnancy. Research in the Lancet previously detailed how taking an oral contraceptive pill raised the risk of a blood clot by three times. But experts and women everywhere have been quick to point out that millions take contraceptive pills with much higher blood clot risks than the vaccine. World Malaria Day 2021: An interview with Sir Brian Greenwood, World Malaria Day: Finding new approaches to fight malaria, The Importance of Global COVID-19 Vaccination. Sign up to our newsletter to get more articles like this delivered straight to your inbox. I thought I was doing a good thing, being cautious.". How has the COVID-19 Pandemic Impacted Global Health? The risk of Venous Thromboembolism (VTE) is increased for women on the pill. Reports of the pill causing blood clots are not new and have been popping up for nearly 60 years since the pill was created. “I’d been to Ladies Day at Ascot the day before, so people naturally thought I was just hungover”, Kirsty recalled. Around 1 in 1,000 women per year who take birth control pills will develop such a clot, yet there are no calls to remove this from the market due experts widely agreeing that the benefits outweigh the risk. This is because they can raise the risk of blood clots forming." Like this article? By definition, however, the contraceptive pill does have the potential to cause more blood clots than the vaccine. Blood clots in women on contraceptive pill Oral contraceptive pills increase the risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE), which can be fatal. This works out at a risk of one in 2,000 or 0.05%. Over several decades, the doses used in contraceptive pills have decreased markedly, in part to address this risk. It was hot, she was probably dehydrated, they mostly concluded. Owned and operated by AZoNetwork, © 2000-2021. News-Medical.Net provides this medical information service in accordance Naturally, panic ensued. 2019. However, there is actually more chance of women having a blood clot by just taking a contraceptive pill every day than actually having the vaccine. What are blood clots and what are the symptoms? "All I kept saying was 'I don’t know, I can’t remember'," said Kirsty. That was where they discovered the blood clot in Kirsty’s brain. My arm started moving involuntarily as if it was cramping and I started losing the ability to speak," recalled Kirsty. Endovascular therapy more prevalent among stroke patients, yet racial differences persist. According to a 2014 report by the European Medicines Agency the risk of venous blood clots overall is from five to 12 cases per 10,000 women who take combined hormonal contraceptives for a … Can a gaze measurement app help spot potential signs of autism in toddlers? News-Medical. “The contraceptive pill, which is taken by millions of women, does pose a greater risk of blood clots than the vaccine,” the doctor shares. But one day, in the height of 2017's summer heatwave, the headache intensified. According to Kirsty’s haematologist, it was her pill. "I wouldn’t want to scare anybody ever because it is such a rare thing, but I think it’s important for people to know the risks. FDA, CDC lift recommended pause on the use of Janssen COVID-19 vaccine in the U.S. https://www.news-medical.net/health/Blood-Clot-Risk-and-the-Oral-Contraceptive-Pill.aspx. Venous thromboembolism risk appears to be present for both combined estrogen/progestin pills and progestin only pills. What is the risk of clotting from the contraceptive pill? ", "Shortly before I first started getting the headaches, my pill company changed their packaging. Cat is Cosmopolitan UK's features editor covering women's issues, health and current affairs. Fans saying the same thing about Mare of Easttown. During that time, Kirsty went to the doctor to seek reassurance that it wasn’t anything serious. You may be able to find more information about this and similar content at piano.io, Louise on fitness and her mental health glow-up, Muslim women using Ramadan to fight period taboo, What cancelling plans says about your personality, The three most common COVID vaccine side effects, How to get free rapid COVID tests to take at home, Black women more likely to miscarry, says study, Maya on why she's stopped filtering her photos, Ashley on her 'unexpected' body after giving birth, Why your hay fever will be next level this year, Thirty-somethings to be offered vaccine this week. "I’m sorry, I made a mistake," one of the doctors who had previously dismissed Kirsty’s concerns told her, as he assessed the scan. The latest issue of Cosmopolitan UK is out now and you can SUBSCRIBE HERE. Blood Clot Risk and the Oral Contraceptive Pill. We use cookies to enhance your experience. And Kirsty doesn’t want to scare anyone into stopping the pill, either. However, these risks are small. Oral contraceptive pills do pose a small risk for women to develop blood clots. (2019, October 07). It’s an isolating feeling," she told Cosmopolitan UK. In the UK, 30 people out of 18 million who have been given the vaccine have been found to have developed a blood clot, with seven people dying as a result. But she knew it was nothing to do with the previous day’s alcohol consumption. It is now known that higher doses of hormones are related to increased risk of blood clots. Here, we tell the story of Kirsty Roberts, who suffered a stroke in 2017 at the age of 25 as a result of a blood clot originating from the pill... Kirsty Roberts had been taking the same contraceptive pill for nearly ten years when her headaches started. under 30s will be offered alternative vaccines, Woman died just weeks after starting the pill, Some contraceptive pills said to have DOUBLE the risk of blood clots, Your contraceptive pill might have an unexpected (but very useful) side effect, All the possible side effects of the pill, “A stroke at 18 made me forget who I was". "It’s like you’re trapped within your own body. The oestrogen in the pill may cause your blood to clot more readily. "This headache was different to the rest. between patient and physician/doctor and the medical advice they may provide. If a blood clot develops, it could cause: deep vein thrombosis (clot in your leg) pulmonary embolus (clot in your lung) stroke; heart attack Taking a combined oral contraceptive increases this very small risk of developing a clot by 3-4 times if you are on a second generation pill, 6-8 times if you are taking a third generation pill, and possibly over 8 times for those on pills containing cyproterone. "The risk of stroke from using contraception is very low, but some types of hormone-based contraception such as the pill, have an increased risk of stroke. Please use one of the following formats to cite this article in your essay, paper or report: Azizi, Maryam. For example, between three and four cases of VTE (venous thromboembolism - blood clots in the veins) are expected to occur in every 10 000 women each year when they take the combined pill Yasmin. Blood clots in women on contraceptive pill. Estrogen, a hormone in oral contraceptives, is linked to as much as a four-fold higher risk of any type of blood clot. News-Medical. The combined oral contraceptive pill, commonly referred to as “the pill”, is already well known to be linked to increased risk of blood clots in the veins, such as deep vein thrombosis (DVT), as we discussed back in 2014. If you are worried, don’t stop any treatment until you speak to your GP or nurse about your own risk and the best contraception for you," Claire added. That point about the pill was poignant, because the most ironic reaction to all of this is just how high the risk of blood clots is for the contraceptive pill without anywhere near this level of hysteria. Doctor number five thought similar, but because the then-24-year-old wasn’t showing any signs of improvement, he relented and offered her a brain scan. A real-world study in Sweden, House flies can carry SARS-CoV-2 up to 24 hours after exposure, study finds, Triple mutation in SARS-CoV-2 seen in second wave of COVID-19 in India, Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine shows real-world efficacy, despite the circulation of B.1.1.7 variant.