Newer birth control pills raise blood clot risks

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A new study shows newer pills carry a higher risk of clotting than older versions.

The study looked at women who’d had deep vein thrombosis, or a clot, and women who hadn’t.

Then they compared the types of birth control the women had taken. Newer pills were associated with an increased risk of clotting, but experts say this information shouldn’t scare people away from taking the pill.

In a UK study of thousands of women, those taking new generations of birth control, like Yaz, were about one and a half times more likely to have a blood clot than women taking older types.

Women who aren’t on birth control have a four in 10,000 chance of getting a clot.

According to the study, women on older varieties have a 10 in 10,000 chance. On newer pills that rises to about 16 in 10,000.

According to Dr. Dustin Costescu, the difference in the pills is the progestin, a synthetic form of the hormone progesterone.

This study suggests they may also carry a greater clotting risk.

In rare cases, the hormones in birth control can cause blood to thicken, forming clots. In even rarer cases, those clots can be deadly.

Smoking, obesity and family history of blood clots are more accurate predictors of clotting than whether someone is taking the pill.

So in pregnancy the risk of a clot during or post pregnancy is higher than when on the pill.

But if someone is worried about clotting, Costescu says to use the birth control method they’re most comfortable with.

Dr. Costescu also says you’re more at risk of clotting when you first start taking the pill, meaning you’re better off staying on it long term than stopping and starting.