NORMAL, Ill.-Third-generation oral contraceptives, those containing desogestrel, cause a greater risk of deadly blood clots, according to an advocacy group in Washington, D.C., who is pushing to ban the drugs.
Sidney Wolfe, M.D., director of the Public Citizen Health Research Group, said third-generation contraceptives have no benefit and double a woman's risk of venous thrombosis - potentially deadly blot clots that typically occur in the lower extremities, but can occur in the abdomen, veins of the brain, upper extremities and in superficial veins of the extremities.
Wolfe, whose research group sent a petition to the FDA Feb. 6, said even the first studies completed in the early 1990s confirmed that third-generation pills increased the risk, but nothing has been done.
"There's no explanation for doctors giving out these prescriptions," he said, adding that doctors know of the increased risk, but continue to prescribe.
Heather Dudley, D.O., of Associates in Obstetrics and Gynecology broke down the risk factor.
A healthy woman not taking birth control has a four out of 100,000 chance of getting a blood clot. A low-dose contraceptive, one with 35 micrograms of estrogen or less, increases her risk to 10-15 out of 100,000. When a woman becomes pregnant, her risk increases to 60 out of 100,000.
Women who smoke or who have blood clotting in their family history have an increased risk as well.
Any woman about to go on birth control should check with their family first to see if they have a strong history of blood clotting, Dudley said.
"I typically ask [patients] if they have a risk of blood clotting in their family," Dudley said.
Dudley said blood clots usually form in the legs and most people will notice a clot if they have swelling or pain in the leg. Clots can also form in the lungs and one sign of this is shortness of breath.
According to research done by Public Citizen, third generation contraceptives increase a woman's risk of venous thrombosis from 15 out of 100,000 to 30 out of 100,000.
"I don't think doctors want to hurt their patients so they must have rationalized it somehow," he said of prescribing the third-generation pills.
"Doctors receive pressure from drug retail companies and they get into their habits," he said.
Wolfe said the Health Research Group at Public Citizen spends most of their time monitoring prescription drugs.
"We've had calls and e-mails from women who have almost died from venous thrombosis," he said.
Kerri Matthews, senior finance, insurance and law major, said she would ask her doctor before taking a third-generation pill.
"I probably would not take the pill if there were a higher chance of blood clotting. That just scares me and I don't think I would take that risk," Matthews said.
Freshman nursing major, Kaylee Babcock said she feels her doctor is well informed and makes decisions based on the best interest of her patients.
"For this reason, I would trust my doctor enough to make me aware of the new issues on contraceptives and to help me make an informed decision on whether to take it or not," Babcock said.
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