THURSDAY, Feb. 13, 2025 (HealthDay News) — The most common formulation of birth control pills has been linked to a doubling of relative risk of heart attack and stroke, a new study finds.
Contraceptive vaginal rings and skin patches formulated in the same way were also linked to higher heart risks.
Danish researchers stressed that the absolute risk to any one woman using these pills, patches or rings remains very low.
However, they said the findings are something for doctors to think about as they prescribe contraceptives.
The pill formulation in question is a combination of the hormones estrogen plus progestin, the team reported Feb. 12 in The BMJ.
It’s the most-prescribed type of hormonal contraception.
“Although absolute risks were low, clinicians should include the potential risk of arterial thrombosis [blood clots] in their assessment of the benefits and risks when prescribing hormonal contraceptive method,” wrote researchers led by Dr. Harman Yonis. He’s with the Department of Cardiology at Nordsjaellands Hospital in Hilleroed, Denmark.
