The Pill Still Safe After 35
The Pill Still Safe After 35
Effective Birth Control, Other Benefits Seen
Jan. 6, 2003 -- It's OK to take the pill -- even if you're over 35.
It's news to many women. But it's not a new finding. The problem is that older versions of birth-control pills had very high doses of estrogen that were associated with increased risk of blood clots, especially in women over 35. The lower-dose pills now in use have no such problems, according to recent studies.
Still, the earlier scare has made many women prefer to be safe than sorry. Only 4% of women older than 35 use birth-control pills. Now a prominent article in the Jan. 7 issue of Annals of Internal Medicine says it's time for women and their doctors to discuss these misperceptions.
"Oral contraceptives can be safely prescribed to many women older than 35 years of age until menopause," write Christine Seibert, MD, of the University of Wisconsin Medical School, and colleagues.
As a birth-control method, the pill is highly effective. Failure rates in the first year of use range from 0.1% to 5%, depending on how faithfully a woman takes the pills.
Perhaps most surprising to many women is that the pill has benefits that go beyond birth control. These include:
As with any medicine, there are some women who definitely should NOT take birth control pills. Women considering taking oral contraceptives should discuss the issue with their doctors.
The Pill Still Safe After 35
Effective Birth Control, Other Benefits Seen
Jan. 6, 2003 -- It's OK to take the pill -- even if you're over 35.
It's news to many women. But it's not a new finding. The problem is that older versions of birth-control pills had very high doses of estrogen that were associated with increased risk of blood clots, especially in women over 35. The lower-dose pills now in use have no such problems, according to recent studies.
Still, the earlier scare has made many women prefer to be safe than sorry. Only 4% of women older than 35 use birth-control pills. Now a prominent article in the Jan. 7 issue of Annals of Internal Medicine says it's time for women and their doctors to discuss these misperceptions.
"Oral contraceptives can be safely prescribed to many women older than 35 years of age until menopause," write Christine Seibert, MD, of the University of Wisconsin Medical School, and colleagues.
As a birth-control method, the pill is highly effective. Failure rates in the first year of use range from 0.1% to 5%, depending on how faithfully a woman takes the pills.
Perhaps most surprising to many women is that the pill has benefits that go beyond birth control. These include:
- Lower risk of ovarian cancer.
- Lower risk of endometrial cancer.
- Possibly lower risk of colon cancer.
- Relief of many symptoms of menopause.
- Acne improvement.
- Possible improvement in excess facial/body hair.
- Possible improvement of bone density (therefore, possibly decreasing risk of bone thinning osteoporosis).
As with any medicine, there are some women who definitely should NOT take birth control pills. Women considering taking oral contraceptives should discuss the issue with their doctors.
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