Can You Smoke While On Birth Control

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This article is medically reviewed on October iv, 2021 by:

Picture of Erica Montes, M.D., FACOG

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Types of birth control

Hormonal birth control risks

Smoking on birth control

How to stop smoking?

Birth control rubber for smokers

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According to the CDC, about 65% of American women aged 19-50 employ contraception, and 12.6% of these women accept an oral contraceptive pill. ^[one]

Another interesting statistic is that 13.five% of American women smoke actively. ^[2]

You may take heard that women who accept hormonal contraceptives should cease smoking as smoking increases the risk of claret clot germination and intensifies the adverse furnishings of birth control. Simply is this truthful?

In this commodity, we wait into the types of birth control, the link between smoking and the use of hormonal contraceptives and what risks you lot bear if y'all are an active smoker and accept birth control pills.

Let's dive in.

Table of Contents

Types of birth control
Hormonal birth control risks
Smoking on nativity control
1. How dangerous is smoking and using birth control pills?
How to stop smoking?
Nativity control safety for smokers

Types of birth control

The different types of nascence control are divided into 2 primary categories: barrier and chemic contraception. ^[iii]

Common barrier nascence control ^[4]

Condoms: 79-85% effective
Diaphragm: 88% constructive
Cervical cap: 71-86% effective
Contraceptive sponge: 76-88% constructive

Common chemical nascency control ^[4]

Spermicide gel: 72-86% constructive
IUD: 99% effective
Birth control implant: 99% effective
Birth control shot: 94% effective
Birth control vaginal ring: 91% constructive
Nascency command patch: 91% constructive
Nascence control pill: 91% effective

birth control types

The IUD, implant, vaginal ring, shot, patch and pill are all types of hormonal contraception, equally these include estrogen and/or progesterone. Hormonal birth control prevents ovulation, thickens the cervical mucus to preclude sperm from passing through the cervix, and thins out the uterus' lining to prevent the implantation of a fertilized egg. ^[3]

That existence said, hormonal nativity command is associated with more adverse furnishings and health risks compared to other types of contraception.

Hormonal birth command risks

Using hormonal birth control may pb to high levels of estrogen and/or progestin in the body.

Dr. Erica (Board-Certified Obstetrician-Gynecologist) says:

Combined oral contraceptives (COC) are made of both progesterone and estrogen. These contraceptives may crusade a mild elevation in blood pressure inside the normal range. Nevertheless, overt hypertension is unusual with current COC formulations.

COCs could be also associated with slightly increased risk of blood clot formation (thrombosis) in an artery or vein (venous thromboembolism: VTE). In severe rare cases, if left untreated, the claret clot may intermission off (especially if the blood pressure level is high) and crusade pulmonary embolism, centre attack, or stroke. ^[4]

Dr. Erica (Lath-Certified Obstetrician-Gynecologist) says:

The reduction in estrogen content since initial combined hormonal contraceptives introduction has increased safety substantially, and arterial thrombotic events (myocardial infarction and stroke) are at present rare among users of available forms of COCs.

Since the rate of VTE in young women is low, the absolute hazard of VTE in COC users is approximately 0.06 per 100 pill-years. This chance is greatest in the commencement few months of use and is considerably lower than that seen in pregnancy and the early on postpartum period (0.two per 100 years).

The absolute risk is higher amidst women with associated weather such as thrombophilia. Other contributors are those predisposing to thromboembolism including smoking, obesity, polycystic ovary syndrome, older age, and immobilization.

Birth control with lower-dose formulations of estrogen (like the pill) has a lower risk of blood clots. With that in listen, women using birth command patch are at higher risk of blood clots than women on the pill. ^[5] This is because more than estrogen is absorbed transdermally. Upwardly to 60% more.

Also, the formulation of progestin in combined birth control pills could besides play a role in blood clot formation. Desogestrel and drospirenone are associated with a higher risk of thrombosis compared to other types of progestins. ^[five]

Keep in mind that thrombosis occurs even in women who are non on whatever type of nativity control. Hormonal contraception only increases the take a chance of this status occurring. Other risk factors are pregnancy, personal or family history of claret clots, obesity, surgery, coagulation disorders, sedentary lifestyle, and smoking.

smoking on birth control

Your healthcare provider can evaluate your personal risk factors for thrombosis, and propose y'all whether hormonal nascence control is suitable for you lot. They can likewise prescribe contraception with a suitable dose of hormones that fit your health status and lifestyle.

Smoking on birth control

Both hormonal nascency command and smoking may pose potential health risks of cardiovascular disease, stroke, and thrombosis.

Doctors oftentimes advise their patients non to smoke if they use hormonal contraception like the pill, patch, implant, ring, shot, or hormonal IUD. This is because smoking may farther increase the chance of blood clot formation and heart disease.

How unsafe is smoking and using nascency control pills?

According to Jefferson Health, a combination of hormonal birth command and smoking can have deadly outcomes. ^[6]

The source notes that the blood vessels of long-term smokers are probable harder and more restricted. This style smokers acquit a higher risk of plaque buildup and even atherosclerosis, stroke, and center attack.

While taking birth control pills alone may slightly increase the risk of eye disease, stroke, and blood clots, the combination of smoking and taking oral contraceptives may double, triple, or quadruple the likelihood of these health conditions. ^[6]

Jefferson Health as well notes that women who take birth control pills, smoke, and are over 35 years of historic period, have metabolic syndrome, or chronic inflammation in the body are at the highest risk. Combination of smoking and taking high-dose birth command pills (50mcg estradiol) is also considered a very high-risk gene. ^[7]

A 1999 newspaper even suggested that oral contraceptives should be denied to women over 35 years of age who smoke cigarettes heavily (more than 15 cigarettes a twenty-four hour period). That being said, taking depression-dose contraceptive pills (xx mcg estradiol) could be safe for non-smokers over 35. ^[eight]

*Smoking in this section refers to smoking cigarettes, tobacco, other substances containing nicotine, or vaping (containing liquid nicotine).

smoking and birth control

How to end smoking?

Planned Parenthood gives ix recommendations that tin can assist y'all stop smoking ^[9] :

Try saving the money y'all would have spent on cigarettes to buy something special
Practice to distract yourself from cigarette cravings
Socialize with non-smokers
Snack on depression-calorie vegetables to keep your hands and mouth active
Keep a list of reasons you want to quit and look at it every solar day
Enquire your family and friends to aid you
Practise deep breathing and relaxation
Chew sugarless glue
Drink cold h2o

Birth control safe for smokers

If you can't quit smoking, consider irresolute the contraception you use: from hormonal to not-hormonal. Nascence command methods safe for smokers are: