Friday September 28 6:22 PM ET 



Newer Birth Control Pills Up Blood Clot Risk



http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/nm/20010928/hl/birthcontrol_1.ht
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LONDON (Reuters Health) - Although the risk of blood clots is 
higher with newer birth control pills than with earlier versions, 
women should not stop taking such pills, the European Medicines 
Evaluation Agency (EMEA) advised on Friday.



Echoing conclusions reached by the UK authorities in 1999, the 
agency's scientific committee stressed that the risk of blood clots, 
known as deep vein thrombosis, was low. ``Thus, there is no reason 
for women currently using any brand of oral contraceptives to stop 
taking it on the basis of these findings,'' it said in a statement.



Both second- and third-generation birth control pills contain a 
form of estrogen called ethinylestradiol coupled with another 
hormone called a progestin. The difference between the two types of 
pills is the type of progestin they contain. The newer contraceptives 
contain either desogestrel or gestodene, and the older ones contain 
levonorgestrel or norgestrel.



Third-generation birth control pills were developed to reduce the 
side effects of earlier versions of the Pill, which included weight 
gain, acne and harmful changes in cholesterol levels. The newer 
drugs have been shown to have a less harmful effect on cholesterol, 
but it is unclear if this improvement decreases the risk of heart 
attack or stroke.



Thousands of British women abandoned the third-generation 
versions of the Pill in 1995 after the first studies showed that the 
risk of deep vein thrombosis is slightly higher in these pills than 
second-generation pills. However, in 1999 the UK Medicines Control 
Agency made clear there was no reason for any woman to stop taking 
the Pill.



Deep vein thrombosis, also known as venous thromboembolism, 
occurs when blood clots form in the veins. Rarely, these clots travel 
in the bloodstream and lodge in the lungs, causing a potentially fatal 
obstruction called pulmonary embolism.



The EMEA statement recommends that if women have any questions 
they should contact their doctor or pharmacist for advice. ``Please 
obtain advice in particular if you have suspected symptoms of 
venous thromboembolism, such as pain and swelling in the legs or 
arms, or symptoms of pulmonary embolism, such as breathlessness 
and a sharp pain in the chest.''



A spokeswoman for Wyeth (American Home Products), one of three 
companies making third-generation oral contraceptives, said that 
the EMEA statement was simply catching up with the position 
reached by the UK authorities in 1999. ``The last thing we want is a 
repeat of the 1995 scare,'' she said.



Another company making third-generation pills, Germany's 
Schering, said, ``We disagree with the opinion that the third-
generation pills present an increased risk than the second 
generation. More recent studies and analyses with better 
methodological designs do not show an increased risk. Nevertheless, 
the companies respect the opinion of the scientific committee and 
will consult with the national regulatory agencies about its advice.'' 

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