Birth Control Pill Use Increases Blood Clot Risk
Reference: British Medical Journal, November 11, 2000;321:1190-1195
“Third generation” oral contraceptives are linked to a more than doubled risk of potentially fatal blood clots known as venous thromboembolisms.
The research from Boston University School of Medicine in Massachusetts indicates that oral contraceptives containing desogestrel or gestodene increased the risk of blood clots by a factor of 2.3 compared to older birth control pills containing levonorgestrel.
The findings support earlier research about the potential danger of the “third-generation” pills that caused a scare in 1995 and resulted in a warning to doctors and pharmacists about the potential dangers. Since the warning, the number of women taking the “third generation” pill has dropped by about 80%.
The researchers estimated that if women had not switched after the warning there would have been about 26% more cases of blood clots.
Women at increased risk of heart disease would be better off avoiding the levonorgestrel pills which can lower the levels of cardio-protective HDL cholesterol.
Our Comment:
Birth control “pills” are really birth control “drugs” with far-reaching, potentially disastrous results to your health. Birth control pills or oral contraceptives are SYNTHETIC hormones that the body is not designed to handle. Long term use increases the user’s risk of developing seriouschronic illness as this study highlights. In addition, birth control pills can deplete the following nutrients:
- Vitamin B2
- Vitamin B6
- Vitamin B12
- Folic Acid
- Vitamin C
- Magnesium
- Zinc
Before using any synthetic hormones, become informed about the risks. An excellent, very readable author is Dr. John Lee who discusses the benefits of natural hormones as well as the negative effects of synthetic hormones.