Are oral contraceptives bad for a woman’s heart health?

With the widespread use of oral contraceptives by women, there is great concern about the health effects of these medications particularly on one’s heart. Although contraceptives have been in use from many years, the modern contraceptive medications are safer and more effective than the older ones. Many recent research studies have found no significant relation between the use of oral contraception (currently available ones) and the risk of heart disease in women (notably if they had no other risk factors of heart disease).

 Current VS old oral contraceptives

 The studies conducted on earlier oral contraceptives that had high doses of estrogen and progesterone hormones, showed an increased risk of vascular disease in women, especially if they smoked heavily. But, current studies have reported that there is no negative effect of modern-day contraceptives on the heart and may in turn exhibit heart-protective effect. This is mainly due to the low dose of the hormones used in current preparations. The estrogenic component of the pills increases triglyceride and the levels of good cholesterol (HDL) in the body, in addition to lowering bad cholesterol (LDL) levels in the body, while the progesteronic component exerts opposite effects that increase the risk of arterial diseases.

Is it safe or not?

Hence, use of oral contraceptives in women who do not smoke and are under 35 years of age doesn’t increase the risk of heart disease. Having said that, the use of oral contraceptives is not completely safe for women who smoke or have a high risk of heart disease. It’s believed a small proportion of women taking oral contraceptive medications could be at an increased risk of high blood pressure and blood clotting. Also, past use of oral contraceptives has negligible or no impact on risks of subsequent heart diseases in women. Even if you wish to take oral contraceptives, it’s better to consult a gynecologist to outweigh the risk of heart complications.

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You may also like to read:

• Signs and symptoms of a heart disease in women
• Why are women more prone to heart disease?
• Are there any side-effects of birth control pills?

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References:

1. Eaker, E. D., Chesebro, J. H., Sacks, F. M., Wenger, N. K., Whisnant, J. P., & Winston, M. (1993). Cardiovascular disease in women. Circulation, 88(4), 1999-2009.
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3. Stadel, B. V. (1981). Oral contraceptives and cardiovascular disease. Pt. 1.Milbank Memorial Fund Quarterly. Health and Society, 305(11), 612-8.
4. Stampfer, M. J., Willett, W. C., Colditz, G. A., Speizer, F. E., & Hennekens, C. H. (1990). Past use of oral contraceptives and cardiovascular disease: a meta-analysis in the context of the Nurses’ Health Study. American journal of obstetrics and gynecology, 163(1), 285-291.
5. Meade, T. W. (1988). Risks and mechanisms of cardiovascular events in users of oral contraceptives. American journal of obstetrics and gynecology, 158(6), 1646-1652.