Birth control pills are the number one contraceptive choice among millions of women of child- bearing age in the United States. While experts stress the safety and effectiveness of the pill, they also caution that birth control with estrogen can increase a woman’s risk for potentially deadly blood clots. In fact, estrogen increases a woman’s risk for blood clots three-fold, and some newer birth control pills pose a risk two-times greater than older birth control pills. Birth control patches and rings containing estrogen pose a risk double that of birth control pills, which increases further when women have other blood clot risks factors, such as a genetic clotting disorder including factor V Leiden, or a family history of blood clots.
The National Blood Clot Alliance and the Alexandra Rowan Foundation urge women who are exploring their birth control options to understand their blood clot risks by completing a risk assessment at www.womenandbloodclots.org, and then discussing the results with their doctor. Make sure to tell your doctor about any personal or family history of blood clots, and ask about contraceptive options that may have less clotting risk.
Signs and symptoms of blood clots in the legs or arms require immediate attention, and include swelling, pain, tenderness not caused by an injury, and skin that is warm to the touch, red, or discolored. Left untreated, blood clots in the legs or arms can break apart and travel to the lungs and be deadly. Symptoms of a blood clot in the lung includes difficulty breathing, chest pain that worsens with a deep breath or cough, coughing up blood, and faster than normal or irregular heartbeat.
Article Source: Statepoint.net.
