Committee Opinion No. 540

Abstract

Although the risk of venous thromboembolism is increased among oral contraceptive users compared with nonusers who are not pregnant and not taking hormones, and some data have suggested that use of drospirenone-containing pills has a higher risk of venous thromboembolism, this risk is still very low and is much lower than the risk of venous thromboembolism during pregnancy and the immediate postpartum period. When prescribing any oral contraceptive, clinicians should consider a woman's risk factors for venous thromboembolism and refer to the U.S. Medical Eligibility Criteria for Contraceptive Use issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Patient education materials, including product labeling, should place information regarding oral contraceptive use and venous thromboembolism risks in context by also providing information about overall venous thromboembolism risks and venous thromboembolism risks during pregnancy and the postpartum period. Decisions regarding choice of oral contraceptive should be left to clinicians and their patients, taking into account the possible minimally increased risk of venous thromboembolism, patient preference, and available alternatives.