Oral contraceptive pills, Hormonal birth control

 What is hormonal birth control?

Hormonal birth control is any pill, injection, device, or treatment that uses hormones to prevent pregnancy in women.

Who cannot take hormonal birth control?

Women who are age 35 or older and smoke cigarettes – These women are at increased risk for heart attacks and strokes. 

Pregnant women

Women who had blood clots or stroke in the past.

Who are currently treated for breast cancer or had a breast cancer before

Irregular or very heavy periods. Women with this problem have to be examined by the healthcare provider prior to starting birth control.

Liver disease.

Heart disease.

Migraines with vision problems 

Women who have high blood pressure can use hormonal birth control, but their blood pressure needs to be followed closely by a doctor.

Many women who can't take estrogen-containing hormonal birth control can take other kinds of hormonal birth control that contain only progestin.

What are the risks associated with hormonal birth control?

1-5% failure rate per year.

Slightly increased risk of breast cancer.

Minor nausea, bloating, breast tenderness, spotting between periods.

Fewer than 1% of women may experience blood clots in the body, gallbladder disease, high blood pressure, benign liver tumors.

Slightly increased risk of stroke or heart attack among women who are smokers and older than 35.

Please talk to your healthcare provider to determine if hormonal birth control is safe for you. 

If you have any side effects with birth control, please consult your healthcare provider right away.