Smoking tobacco isn’t a medical condition of its own, but continued smoking does cause all kinds of medical conditions like emphysema, lung cancer, and throat cancer. It can also have an impact on which types of birth control are safe to use. Women under 35 who smoke and have no other medical conditions can usually use the pill with reasonable safety, but should definitely talk to their doctor about alternative methods. Women over 35 who smoke more than 15 cigarettes a day should steer clear of the pill, ring, or patch.
Don't believe everything you read on a birth control label...
Our latest feature article covers the good, the bad, and the inaccurate when it comes to birth control labels. From the history of prescription drug labeling in the U.S., to “black box” warnings, to “off-label” uses, we’ve got deets for you.
What do breaking a tail light with a shovel, drinking spoiled milk, and calling that Nigerian Prince who’s been emailing you have to do with birth control?
Blood Clot Warning Added to Yaz and Other Newer Birth Control Pills
In case you missed it yesterday, certain brands of birth control pills—including Yaz, Yasmin, Beyaz, and Safyral—will be getting new labels to let consumers know that those particular pills may increase the risk of blood clots slightly more than other types. As the TIME piece we’re linking to here notes (and as we say, um, a lot), for most women the risk of blood clots even with the riskier pill types is still really, really low—and lower than the risk of blood clots during and after pregnancy.
Our Provider Perspective article “Risky business 2: Migraines, high blood pressure, and blood clots” has some details on which birth control options might be better—or worse—for women with medical conditions that put them at a higher risk of blood clots or other scary medical complications.
Risky business: Is birth control safe?
Our latest “provider perspective” article, from Dr. Joe Speidel of UCSF.
