Pill users reassured they are not at higher risk of death than non pill-users
Pill users reassured they are not at higher risk of death than non pill-users
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By Sarah Garrod.
Contraceptive pill users have been told it does not increase their long-term risk of death, but there is still an unexplained "higher rate of violent or accidental deaths".
In a study in the British Medical Journal (BMJ) women in the UK have been told that those who have used the oral contraceptive pill are less likely to die from any cause, including all cancers and heart disease, compared with those who have never taken it.
However, the study also found that there continues to be "a higher rate of violent or accidental death among oral contraceptive users compared with never users". The authors of the study said they were unable to explain this "persistent finding".
The results show a slightly higher risk of death in women under 45 who are current or recent users of the pill, but the authors stress that the effects in younger women disappear after about ten years. Furthermore, the benefits in older women outweigh the smaller excess risks among younger women.
The research - which was funded partly by the British Heart Foundation (BHF) - was from a study of women that began in 1968. Judy O'Sullivan, senior cardiac nurse at the BHF said: "This study will provide some reassurance for women who took the first generation of the oral contraceptive pill, that use is not associated with a higher death rate in the long-term. In fact it showed that the pill provided some protection against some cancers and heart disease.
"However, as with all medication the balance between the risks and benefits of the pill will vary from one woman to another. Women who wish to reduce their risk of developing heart disease should take regular physical activity, avoid smoking, maintain a healthy weight and eat a balanced diet."
The investigation was one of the world's largest continuing investigations into the health effects of oral contraceptives.
Today's results, led by Professor Philip Hannaford from the University of Aberdeen, relate to the 46,000 recruited women, followed for up to nearly 40 years, creating more than a million woman-years of observation.
The results show that in the longer term, women who used oral contraception had a significantly lower rate of death from any cause, including heart disease and all cancers (notably bowel, uterine body and ovarian cancers) compared with never users.
This equates to 52 fewer deaths per 100,000 woman-years.
By the age of 50, the benefits outweighed modest risks, with 14 fewer deaths per 100,000 among 40-49 year olds.
Prof Hannaford said: "Many women, especially those who used the first generation of oral contraceptives many years ago, are likely to be reassured by our results. However, our findings might not reflect the experience of women using oral contraceptives today, if currently available preparations have a different risk than earlier products."
The authors conclude that "oral contraception is not significantly associated with an increased long-term risk of death . indeed a net benefit was apparent", however, they point out that "the balance of risks and benefits may vary globally, depending upon patterns of oral contraception usage and background risk of disease".