Birth Control and Smoking: Risks to Your Health
What You Need to Know What You Need to Know
- Birth control in the form of pills, patches and rings may contain estrogen.
- Smoking while on birth control that includes estrogen increases the risk of blood clots, strokes and heart attacks, especially for those over 35.
- There is not enough research to fully understand the effects of consuming nicotine through vape, nicotine gum, nicotine patch or chewing tobacco on those who take birth control with estrogen, but they likely increase risks as well.
What are the risks of smoking while taking birth control?
Smoking while using birth control can significantly increase the risk of cardiovascular conditions like high blood pressure, blood clots and stroke. This is because both smoking and birth control that uses estrogen affect the cardiovascular system. Estrogen raises the risk of blood clot formation, and smoking adds to this by damaging blood vessels and reducing oxygen levels in the blood. Together, these two factors increase the risk for cardiovascular problems.
The risks are even higher for individuals over 35 or those with additional health factors like high blood pressure or a family history of heart disease.
Smoking while using hormonal birth control is not recommended, especially when taking birth control that contains estrogen. Quitting smoking can be beneficial for your health in many ways, including reducing risk of cardiovascular problems.
Smoking Alternatives: Are they safer for those on birth control?
There is not enough research to fully understand the effects of consuming nicotine through products that do not produce smoke such as vape, nicotine gum, nicotine patch or chewing tobacco on those who take birth control with estrogen. If you are trying to quit smoking cigarettes, these are good alternatives to use for the recommended duration of the products.
Alternative Birth Control Methods for Smokers
If you smoke and do not plan to quit, consider these birth control options to avoid raising your risk of heart disease, blood clots and stroke.
- Intrauterine devices (IUDs): Levonorgestrel or copper-containing types
- Progestin-only options: progesterone only pills (minipill or Slynd), Depo-Provera (shot), and progesterone arm implant (Nexplanon)
- Condoms or other barrier methods like diaphragms
Using these alternatives does not reduce the negative effects of smoking, vaping or using chewing tobacco on your body.
Nicotine Use and Gender-Affirming Estrogen
People who use the hormone estrogen for gender affirmation and smoke cigarettes have similar health risks as those who use estrogen as birth control. It is not recommended to smoke while using estrogen for gender affirmation due to an increased risk of blood clots.
