Health Science Reviews

by Vieshal Gopal

Introduction:

Imagine a seemingly harmless pill, taken by over 100 million women worldwide, carrying hidden risks. We’re talking about oral contraceptives (OC), a popular method of birth control with a variety of applications. These tiny tablets hold the power to reshape lives but also harbour an unsettling secret. Studies have revealed that OC users face a 2-6-fold increased risk of venous thrombosis (VT), a potentially life-threatening condition. Interestingly, VT remains rare among OC users, occurring mostly when combined with other risk factors. This study aimed to uncover why some OC users are more susceptible to VT and what this means for women’s health.

The Research Question:

This study set out to answer a critical question: Why do some women using OC suffer from VT while the majority do not? The research aimed to determine if hypercoagulability, a state of increased blood clotting, could be detected long after OC-related VT using global clotting assays, such as thrombin generation and overall haemostasis potential (OHP) assays. Additionally, the study explored whether hypercoagulability could be attributed to thrombophilia, a condition that increases the risk of abnormal blood clot formation.

Methods:

Results and Implications:

Women who had experienced blood clots linked to birth control pills (OC-related VT) still had a higher tendency for blood clotting even after they had stopped taking the pills for several months. This increased blood clotting was detected through thrombin generation and OHP assays. Interestingly, it was not only attributed to thrombophilia, suggesting that other factors contribute to increased blood clotting.

Additionally, the study discovered that people with a shorter APTT (a thromboplastin blood test) were more likely to develop blood clots while using OCs. This emphasizes that APTT can be a useful indicator for predicting the risk of blood clots in OC users.

Conclusion:

This study sheds light on the long-lasting impact of OC use on women’s coagulation profiles. It highlights the need for further investigation into hypercoagulability and its underlying causes in OC users. While thrombophilia plays a role, it appears that additional factors contribute to the elevated risk of VT. This research emphasizes the importance of personalized healthcare for women using oral contraceptives to mitigate potential risks and ensure their well-being.

Reference:

Doma, S. A., Vučnik, M., Mijovski, M. B., Peternel, P., & Stegnar, M. (2013). Enhanced thrombin generation in women with a history of oral contraception-related venous thrombosis. Thrombosis Research, 132(5), 621-626.