Study Suggests Birth Control Pills Cause Slightly Increased Risk of Cardiovascular Disease

Boston.com: Birth control pills raise risk of heart attacks and strokes, but only slightly, by Deborah Kotz:

A large-scale study published Wednesday in the New England Journal of Medicine brings more clarity to the cardiovascular disease risks caused by birth control pills, adding to previous findings from smaller studies.

Some formulations of oral contraceptives, which contain a mix of estrogen and progesterone, can double a woman’s risk of having a heart attack or stroke, according to the new research, but in absolute terms the risk is very low because young women under age 50 rarely have heart attacks or strokes. . . .