Cold symptoms (cough, sore throat, runny nose, shortness of breath). Flu symptoms (fever, chills, body aches, etc.). Women over age 35, smokers and women with high blood pressure, diabetes or unhealthy cholesterol levels are most at risk. Progesterone-Only Birth Control. According to the Food and Drug Administration, it’s been found that the effects of continuously raised estrogen levels in the female body due to taking birth control pills may include: Potential increased risk of breast cancer; Potential increased risk … WebMD does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Most young women who take birth control pills have few or no problems. If you take the pill or other types of birth control that have hormones -- and you're healthy and young -- you can feel comfortable that it's a safe choice to prevent pregnancy. Birth control patches can deliver more estrogen than birth control pills, so women with any risk of heart disease should check with their doctor before using a patch. Although birth control pills cause such a high increase in heart attack risk, the birth control method remains safe for most women because heart attacks among women younger than 50 are rare. Birth control pills may place women at higher risk of high blood pressure and blood clots that can cause stroke or heart attack. Birth control pills come in a pack, and you take 1 pill every day. The pill is safe, affordable, and effective if you always take your pill on time. However, that risk is still very small for most women, especially for those under 35 who do not have other risk factors for heart disease, such as smoking or obesity. Birth control pills can also increase a woman’s risk of having a heart attack. ", National Institutes of Health: "Contraceptive Hormone Use and Cardiovascular Disease. A progesterone pill must be taken at the same time every day. The American Heart Association recommends consulting with your primary care physician, gynecologist and cardiologist before beginning birth control, just to be safe. ", U.S. Department of Health and Human Services: "Heart Disease Fact Sheet. ", National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute: "The Healthy Heart Handbook for Women.". Serious risks of birth control pills include blood clots, heart problems, high blood pressure, gallbladder problems, and liver problems, including liver tumors. Depo-Provera® (depot medroxyprogesterone acetate, aka “the shot”), the mini pill, and Implanon® (birth control implant) are safe for women with heart disease, in most cases. Birth-control pills also can cause an increased risk of blood clots and heart disease in women who smoke. It’s because a recent large scale study from Denmark just came out with these conclusions. However, birth control pills are relatively safe for most women, particularly women younger than 35. They may raise your blood pressure, for instance. You may need to use back-up birth control, such as condoms with spermicide, when you first start using this medication. They do tend to increase a woman’s blood pressure. If the blood clot happens in the artery in the heart or brain, a heart attack or stroke is possible. The latex male condom provides the best protection from most STDs. Please contact our office or notify our staff at check-in if you are experiencing any of the following: Patients with symptoms who require an urgent visit will need to wear a mask during an in-person appointment. Women with complex heart disease should not use estrogen-based birth control pills or other estrogen-based methods. You can also use the portal to email your doctor. If you think you may have been exposed to the new coronavirus, COVID-19 (either through travel to a high risk area or close contact with a person who has tested positive for COVID-19), please contact us before visiting. I was advised to go off birth control as my 2 cardios who placed my emgcy stents seemed to assume that the pill is somehow implicated in SCAD (I also had a spasm LAD heart attack). ", American Heart Association: "Birth Control and Heart Disease. Progesterone forms of birth control are often good choices if you have a CHD. However, birth control pills with estrogen may cause a slight increase in the risk of developing blood clots in the legs, eyes, and lungs. Estrogen in birth control pills can also raise your risk of blood clots. You may hear your doctor call the pill "hormonal" birth control. Copied from the ABC news website: At age 29, Samantha Balzer never expected to have a stroke. The estrogen in birth control pills and in hormone patches, implants, vaginal rings and injections can cause an increase in blood clotting, which could result in a heart attack. Contrary to earlier signs that women on the Pill have a higher risk of heart disease, a new look at the medical literature found no link between heart attacks and the so-called mini-pills. Research suggests that progestin-only options as well as IUDs may be safest for you. It is important to note, though, that these forms of birth … It is important to note, however, that these forms of birth control may lead to fluid retention. While stopping the regular menstrual cycle can alleviate symptoms, it … Many women are prescribed birth control pills to stop or control irregular bleeding, endometriosis symptoms, painful ovulation, painful periods, painful fibroids or cysts, PCOS and other concerns. No matter your age, if you use birth control pills, don't smoke. If symptoms persist, it is always good to keep your physician informed. Take your first pill on the first day of your period or on the first Sunday after your period begins.