Pill-smoking: a cocktail exposed to many risks

The mixture pill-smoking exposes women to many risks, while in France they are likely to use oral contraceptives while smoking, the opportunity for the magazine "Living", published by the League against cancer and available kiosk (the price of 3 euros, 1.50 euros donated for research) to devote an article on this topic.

The risks of taking birth control pills

The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) convened a group of experts on the existing risk among pill and cancer.

According to the findings, 10% of women of childbearing age children commonly use the combined pill (containing estrogen and progestin) and the risk of breast cancer appears to be increased in regular and recent users, particularly among women under 35 years at diagnosis, having taken oral contraceptives before the age of 20. This risk appears to be lower among those older at diagnosis and fades after ten years of interruption.

In contrast, the pill would have a protective effect on endometrial cancer and ovarian cancer, effects that persist for 15 and 20 years after discontinuation.

In practice, the pill is not usually prescribed to women with a history of breast cancer or uterine cancer or severe liver disease. It is prohibited when there is a history of phlebitis, pulmonary embolism or serious cardiovascular problem. Indeed, when it contains high doses of estrogen, it increases the risk of thrombosis (formation of a blood clot within the veins or arteries).

Cardiovascular complications

With age, the risk becomes greater, the blood vessels become more fragile, but in the absence of cons-indications, it is not enough to put a woman's life in danger. On one condition: that it does not smoke. In fact, tobacco is aged prematurely vessels and promotes thrombosis. Its effects can therefore add or combine with those of the pill and become sensitive, especially after 35 years.

It is estimated that the risk of myocardial infarction is increased by 87 when combined pill-smoking (compared with 11 in the case of smoking alone). The risk of stroke, it would be six times greater for those who smoke and take the pill for the smoker is not taking oral contraceptives.

In France, smokers represent 35% of women on the pill and smoking among women is increasing. This also increases the risk of cancer of the cervix and causes many other misdeeds.