Birth Control Pills and Arterial Plaque

Birth control pills are considered an extremely common and effective measure for unwanted pregnancies. A recent study, however, indicates startling results regarding the link between these pills and arterial plaque, raising significant questions and possibly creating a potential field for research. A team of researchers at the University of Ghent, Belgium, presented this study at a conference of the American Heart Association, indicating that women who used oral contraceptives were at a higher risk of developing arterial plaque buildup than those who had never used the pill.

The team studied 1,301 women in the age group of 35 to 55 years. Out of the total study group, 81% women had used the pill for around 13 years on an average. Ultrasound tests of the arteries of the participants’ legs and neck indicated that for every 10 years of usage of the pill, there was a 20 to 30 percent increase in arterial plaque in the two arteries, the femoral in the leg and the carotid in the neck. Plaque levels were calculated using the vascular echography technique.

Dr. Ernst Rietzschel from Belgium's Ghent University, who led this research said, "The main concern is if you have higher plaque levels that you might develop a clot on one of these plaques and have a stroke or a myocardial infarction (heart attack) or sudden cardiac death. That's the main risk with having plaque, with having atherosclerosis.”

Atherosclerosis means the build-up of plaque, which is made up of calcium, cholesterol, fat, and other substances, in the interiors of the arteries that may cause them to harden and narrow. Studies provided by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show that about 80% women in the U.S. between the ages of 15 and 44 use oral contraceptives. It raises important questions and points towards the lack of sufficient research on the effects of such a commonly used method of birth control.

It is important for women using oral contraceptives to lower the risk of cardiovascular diseases by consuming a balanced and healthy diet, exercise regularly, not smoke and control their cholesterol. Additionally, it is also important that women focus on other, safer methods of birth control that do not carry the possible risks associated with birth control pills.

Learn more about our Phoenix Birth Control Clinical Trial