This risk may increase if you smoke or are overweight. Due to the estrogen present in the pills, sometimes the blood vessels can become narrow or thick. Due to which high risk women may have heart attack or stroke.

Contraceptive pills are also known as birth control pills. Women generally use these pills as an effective way to prevent pregnancy. However, there are concerns about whether taking these pills in women may increase the risk of heart diseases (Contraceptive pills effect on heart). This thing is more important for those women who already have any health related problem or their age has increased. Let us know how these contraceptive pills work and whether they can cause heart problems.

How contraceptive pills work

Most contraceptive pills contain hormones that are similar to the body's natural hormones estrogen and progestogen. Ovulation is stopped by these hormones. This is the time when eggs are released from the ovaries. This makes it difficult for the man's sperm to reach the egg and for the fertilized egg to reach the womb. These pills are very effective in preventing pregnancy, but they also have some side effects, which include effects on the heart and circulation.

Know here the side effects of contraceptive pills on heart health (Contraceptive side effects on heart health)

1 Risk of blood clots

One of the most well-known risks of contraceptive pills, especially those containing estrogen, is that they may slightly increase the risk of blood clots. These clots often form in the veins of the legs (a condition called deep vein thrombosis) and in some cases these clots can travel to the lungs (pulmonary embolism), which can be very serious.

Birth control pills containing estrogen carry a risk of blood clots. Image: Adobe Stock

The risk of blood clots is generally low in healthy women. But this risk is higher in women who smoke and are overweight or who are above 35 years of age. If you fall into one of these categories, it's a good idea to discuss other options with your doctor.

2 Effect on blood pressure

Some contraceptive pills may cause a slight increase in blood pressure. This may not be a big problem for most women, but it can be a matter of concern for those women who are already facing the problem of high blood pressure or in whom this risk is increasing.

3 Heart attack and stroke

The risk of heart attack or stroke while taking contraceptive pills is negligible for most women. However, this risk may increase if you smoke or are overweight. The estrogen present in the pills can sometimes cause blood vessels to narrow or thicken, which can lead to heart attack or stroke in high-risk women.

The risk is higher in women who smoke because smoking causes blood vessels to narrow and blood pressure increases. Therefore, doctors suggest that women above 35 years of age who smoke should avoid taking contraceptive pills.

Progestogen-only pills are safer

Progestogen-only pills are sometimes called the mini-pill. They do not contain estrogen and are considered generally safe in terms of cardiovascular risk. Taking these pills is recommended for those women who cannot take estrogen due to health reasons. Or those who have a higher risk of heart diseases. The mini-pill may be a good option for people concerned about the cardiovascular risks associated with contraceptives.

It is important to pay attention to age and pre-existing health problems

When it comes to the safety of contraceptive pills, age plays an important role. Women over the age of 35, especially those who smoke or have other risk factors, are more likely to experience adverse cardiovascular effects from contraceptive pills. If you've reached this stage, it may be a good idea to try non-hormonal methods of contraception, such as a copper IUD or condoms.

Increasing age and increasing weight are both associated with the risk of heart diseases. Image: Shutter Stock

Women who suffer from diabetes, obesity or someone in the family has heart disease problems should be careful while using contraceptive pills. It is important to have a detailed discussion with your doctor to know the risks and benefits.

Get regular health checkups done

Long-term use of contraceptive pills is considered safe for most women, but it is important to have regular health checkups. Monitoring blood pressure, weight and health can help detect any potential problems early. If you don't have a good diet, don't exercise or smoke, or are facing other such risk factors, making lifestyle changes can reduce the risk to a great extent.

Contraceptive pills are generally considered safe and work for most women, but like any other medicine, they come with risks. The good thing is that for most women such risks are very low and can be managed by getting regular health checkups and leading a healthy lifestyle.

However, women over the age of 35 who smoke or have other health conditions are at higher risk of developing heart problems like blood clots, high blood pressure or heart attack and stroke.

If you are concerned about these risks, talk to your doctor about your options. There are different types of contraceptive pills available and by finding the right option for you, you can better avoid pregnancy and maintain your health in the long run.

Also read – Endometriosis can increase the risk of heart attack in women, experts are saying the connection between the two.