Oral contraceptives effectively prevent pregnancy over 99 percent of the time when used properly. Most pills combine synthetic estrogen and synthetic progesterone, or progestins, in varying combinations. Oral contraceptives are classified by the amount of estrogen they contain, with pills with less than 50 micrograms of estrogen classified as low dose, while second-generation pills contain synthetic estrogen in amounts between 30 and 35 micrograms. Third-generation pills contain less than 30 micrograms. Estrogen and progestins can have adverse effects on women with some health risks.
Smokers Over Age 35
Women who smoke more than one pack of cigarettes a day and who are over age 35 have an increased risk of ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke, venous thromboembolism and myocardial infarction, or heart attack, the University of Michigan Health System warns. The risk of heart attack is higher in older smokers who take second-generation oral contraceptives than those who take third-generation oral contraceptives, UMHS reports.
Previous Cardiovascular Disease
Because oral contraceptives increase the risk of heart disease and vascular complications, women with a previous history of cardiovascular disease should not take oral contraceptives. Women with uncontrolled blood pressure or triglyceride levels over 250 milligrams per deciliter, or mg/dl, which can lead to heart disease, should also not take oral contraceptives, the Merck Manuals Online Medical Library states. Diabetics with significant vascular disease should also avoid oral contraceptives.
History of Estrogen-Dependent Cancer
Synthetic estrogens could stimulate the growth of estrogen-dependent cancers, such as breast cancer. Women with a known or suspected history of breast cancer should not take oral contraceptives, the University of Michigan advises. Women with undiagnosed vaginal bleeding, which could indicate uterine cancer, also should not take oral contraceptives. Oral contraceptives do not increase the risk of developing uterine cancer; in fact, the risk decreases in women taking oral contraceptives, the National Cancer Institute reports.
Liver Disease
Birth control pills can cause liver tumors and jaundice, a yellowing of the skin and whites of the eyes due to increased bilirubin levels, the University of Maryland Medical Center states. Women with a history of liver disease should consider birth control methods other than oral contraceptives, they advise.
Systemic Lupus Erythmatosus
Women with active systemic lupus erythmatosus, an autoimmune disease, should avoid oral contraceptives because they increase the risk of cardiovascular disease in those patients, according to the Merck Manuals.
Prolonged Immobility
Women with prolonged lower extremity immobility should not take oral contraceptives because it increases the risk of developing blood clots in the legs called deep vein thrombosis. Blood clots can break loose and lodge in the lungs, a condition known as pulmonary embolism. Oxygen flow to the lungs may decrease significantly, leading to respiratory distress that can be life threatening, Harvard Health Publications reports.
References
- Merck Manuals Online Medical Library: Contraception
- University of Michigan Health System: Oral Contraceptives
- National Cancer Institute: Oral Contraceptives and Cancer Risk
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Birth Control Options for Women
- Harvard Health Publications: On the Alert for Deep Vein Clots
