Hormonal birth control a godsend -- stop trashing it

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I might have been you when I was young. That’s before I learned I have a genetic blood clotting disorder and my mom almost died of a blood clot, and the hematologists warned me that I could never use hormonal BC again. One of them, a woman, told me she was angry about how many young women with clots she saw.

These aren’t risk-free. And it is not some conservative conspiracy to say that.

DP. I'm glad you found out, and I'm glad you have alternative options.

But before you knew about your inherited thrombophilia, you know what would have been a greater risk to you for forming clots than BCP? Pregnancy.

What a condescending and unnecessary response. Ugly.

But notably not untrue.

I’m the PP who posted about my blood clotting disorder. The PPs post about pregnancy suggests she has quite a dim understanding of causality. I’m not really convinced she is the best spokesperson for hormonal birth control, truth be told.

Pregnancy is a higher risk factor for blood clots than OCP. That is just medical facts. If you don't know that, then I'm afraid you have a rather dim understanding of how this works -- and why are you offering advice?

To put the risk of developing a blood clot from a birth control pill into perspective: The risk of blood clots is higher when using any birth control pills than not using them, but still remains lower than the risk of developing blood clots in pregnancy and in the postpartum period.

FDA Drug Safety Communication: Updated information about the risk of blood clots in women taking birth control pills containing drospirenone
https://www.fda.gov/drugs/drug-safety-and-availability/fda-drug-safety-communication-updated-information-about-risk-blood-clots-women-taking-birth-control

People use contraceptives for a number of reasons, including to regulate their periods, to help balance their moods, to reduce acne and to eliminate menstrual cramps. Of course, most people who take CHC do so to stop them getting pregnant - and pregnancy itself entails a far higher blood clot risk than that associated with combined hormonal contraceptives.

Does the contraceptive pill increase your risk of blood clots?
https://patient.info/news-and-features/does-the-contraceptive-pill-increase-your-risk-of-blood-clots

It's not like the only choice is using birth control pills or getting pregnancy and continuing a full term pregnancy. There are other methods for birth control and women can be advised about all of the advantages and disadvantages. I think the pill caused depression and headaches for me, but it was also the only thing that helped with acne in my 20's.

Of course. But it is more of a risk to be pregnant than to be on the pill. If you don't understand or acknowledge that, then you are promoting misinformation and not allowing women full autonomy. That is why people who prescribe should be going through these benefits and risks.

A lot of women still want the pill, and that actually is a safer option than getting pregnant.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/causes-prevention/risk/hormones/oral-contraceptives-fact-sheet

From cancer.gov: there is an increased risk of breast cancer.

I never used oral BC and I don’t drink. Those are two things I can control…and not have to second guess myself down the road if I develop bc.

Ditto for exercise and not being obese. And not smoking.

Right, and it is less of an increased risk for the average woman than drinking is.

You are making the choices you made at least in part to decrease that risk. That's great! And it's great to talk about the risks that come into play with hormonal contraception. But it's disingenuous to say that risk is important without putting it into perspective with other things that increase risk, if it is really the risk that we are talking about. That's all.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I might have been you when I was young. That’s before I learned I have a genetic blood clotting disorder and my mom almost died of a blood clot, and the hematologists warned me that I could never use hormonal BC again. One of them, a woman, told me she was angry about how many young women with clots she saw.

These aren’t risk-free. And it is not some conservative conspiracy to say that.

DP. I'm glad you found out, and I'm glad you have alternative options.

But before you knew about your inherited thrombophilia, you know what would have been a greater risk to you for forming clots than BCP? Pregnancy.

What a condescending and unnecessary response. Ugly.

But notably not untrue.

I’m the PP who posted about my blood clotting disorder. The PPs post about pregnancy suggests she has quite a dim understanding of causality. I’m not really convinced she is the best spokesperson for hormonal birth control, truth be told.

Pregnancy is a higher risk factor for blood clots than OCP. That is just medical facts. If you don't know that, then I'm afraid you have a rather dim understanding of how this works -- and why are you offering advice?

To put the risk of developing a blood clot from a birth control pill into perspective: The risk of blood clots is higher when using any birth control pills than not using them, but still remains lower than the risk of developing blood clots in pregnancy and in the postpartum period.

FDA Drug Safety Communication: Updated information about the risk of blood clots in women taking birth control pills containing drospirenone
https://www.fda.gov/drugs/drug-safety-and-availability/fda-drug-safety-communication-updated-information-about-risk-blood-clots-women-taking-birth-control

People use contraceptives for a number of reasons, including to regulate their periods, to help balance their moods, to reduce acne and to eliminate menstrual cramps. Of course, most people who take CHC do so to stop them getting pregnant - and pregnancy itself entails a far higher blood clot risk than that associated with combined hormonal contraceptives.

Does the contraceptive pill increase your risk of blood clots?
https://patient.info/news-and-features/does-the-contraceptive-pill-increase-your-risk-of-blood-clots

It's not like the only choice is using birth control pills or getting pregnancy and continuing a full term pregnancy. There are other methods for birth control and women can be advised about all of the advantages and disadvantages. I think the pill caused depression and headaches for me, but it was also the only thing that helped with acne in my 20's.

Of course. But it is more of a risk to be pregnant than to be on the pill. If you don't understand or acknowledge that, then you are promoting misinformation and not allowing women full autonomy. That is why people who prescribe should be going through these benefits and risks.

A lot of women still want the pill, and that actually is a safer option than getting pregnant.

NP. I agree that you are not the best spokesperson for bcp.

Women today are no longer faced with multiple unplanned pregnancies. The choice is not between hormonal birth control or 6-10 children. We are well below replacement rate, there are many options for birth control that many different women use.

[Anonymous]

Birth control of all kinds is under attack.

Birth control pills are extremely effective if taken correctly. I started mine because of terrible menstrual periods. Then they turned out to be a great birth control method. No mood swings, decreased libido or anything else.

My friends who got pregnant were using things like diaphragms or skipped a condom "just that one time." Talk about sky high failure rates

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/causes-prevention/risk/hormones/oral-contraceptives-fact-sheet

From cancer.gov: there is an increased risk of breast cancer.

I never used oral BC and I don’t drink. Those are two things I can control…and not have to second guess myself down the road if I develop bc.

Ditto for exercise and not being obese. And not smoking.

Right, and it is less of an increased risk for the average woman than drinking is.

You are making the choices you made at least in part to decrease that risk. That's great! And it's great to talk about the risks that come into play with hormonal contraception. But it's disingenuous to say that risk is important without putting it into perspective with other things that increase risk, if it is really the risk that we are talking about. That's all.

Ok.

But I’m talking about increased risk of breast cancer.

I think Big Pharma and doctors failed when it came to disclosing the increased risk.

I understand there are obvious risks related to pregnancy. I suspect most women have a handle on those risks. But we have a problem when generations of women believe birth control decreased their breast cancer risk. We have a problem when women used it for 30+ years thinking it didn’t come without risk. We have a problem when doctors think BC is okay for women with severe migraines.

Doctors aggressively push the pill and other hormonal BC. Do they truly believe all women are too inept to use condoms and the calendar? I switched doctors when one told me I was reckless for refusing the pill. My next doctor told me I was wise. He said his wife and daughters aren’t using hormonal birth control either.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I might have been you when I was young. That’s before I learned I have a genetic blood clotting disorder and my mom almost died of a blood clot, and the hematologists warned me that I could never use hormonal BC again. One of them, a woman, told me she was angry about how many young women with clots she saw.

These aren’t risk-free. And it is not some conservative conspiracy to say that.

DP. I'm glad you found out, and I'm glad you have alternative options.

But before you knew about your inherited thrombophilia, you know what would have been a greater risk to you for forming clots than BCP? Pregnancy.

What a condescending and unnecessary response. Ugly.

But notably not untrue.

I’m the PP who posted about my blood clotting disorder. The PPs post about pregnancy suggests she has quite a dim understanding of causality. I’m not really convinced she is the best spokesperson for hormonal birth control, truth be told.

Pregnancy is a higher risk factor for blood clots than OCP. That is just medical facts. If you don't know that, then I'm afraid you have a rather dim understanding of how this works -- and why are you offering advice?

To put the risk of developing a blood clot from a birth control pill into perspective: The risk of blood clots is higher when using any birth control pills than not using them, but still remains lower than the risk of developing blood clots in pregnancy and in the postpartum period.

FDA Drug Safety Communication: Updated information about the risk of blood clots in women taking birth control pills containing drospirenone
https://www.fda.gov/drugs/drug-safety-and-availability/fda-drug-safety-communication-updated-information-about-risk-blood-clots-women-taking-birth-control

People use contraceptives for a number of reasons, including to regulate their periods, to help balance their moods, to reduce acne and to eliminate menstrual cramps. Of course, most people who take CHC do so to stop them getting pregnant - and pregnancy itself entails a far higher blood clot risk than that associated with combined hormonal contraceptives.

Does the contraceptive pill increase your risk of blood clots?
https://patient.info/news-and-features/does-the-contraceptive-pill-increase-your-risk-of-blood-clots

It's not like the only choice is using birth control pills or getting pregnancy and continuing a full term pregnancy. There are other methods for birth control and women can be advised about all of the advantages and disadvantages. I think the pill caused depression and headaches for me, but it was also the only thing that helped with acne in my 20's.

Of course. But it is more of a risk to be pregnant than to be on the pill. If you don't understand or acknowledge that, then you are promoting misinformation and not allowing women full autonomy. That is why people who prescribe should be going through these benefits and risks.

A lot of women still want the pill, and that actually is a safer option than getting pregnant.

NP. I agree that you are not the best spokesperson for bcp.

Women today are no longer faced with multiple unplanned pregnancies. The choice is not between hormonal birth control or 6-10 children. We are well below replacement rate, there are many options for birth control that many different women use.

I do know how hormones, risk, pregnancy and clots work instead of just thinking I do, though.

Make all the spokesperson shouts you want for your side. Just be accurate.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m a bleeding heart liberal who thinks BC is critical for so many people for so many reasons.

But I’m also a highly educated woman who has researched many medical issues for a variety of reasons.

Personally, I have never used the pill.

Why?

I’m a stroke risk given my severe migraines.

I know a young woman who was pressured into going on the pill following delivery. Long story short: stroke! She died. She was a migraine sufferer who never should have been on the pill.

I’m perimenopause and I won’t use HRT. I didn’t use the pill when I had crime scene level bleeding (had a hysterectomy instead). Breast cancer in my family tree makes me hyper aware of risks.

I don’t think anyone is trying to mount a senseless PR campaign against the pill…particularly on dcum. But many of us have done our homework. You should do yours and then make an informed choice. Don’t rely exclusively on doctors who might not connect the dots.

Chemically altering your body isn’t always the best choice.

+1 I’m pro BC, I read the insert and it’s not for me. I have never taken it. And I don’t like how women are just put on it for life when they have painful periods without an investigation into why they are having an issue.

OP things are not as black and white as you think.

(NP) I suffered from debilitating periods, and my teen years gyn never mentioned endometriosis or the fact that the pill would end my suffering. I am extraordinarily resentful that I was not helped with one of the major long term traumas of my life. It would have been life altering. Yes, I've had worse trauma too, but the monthly humiliation and suffering starting at age 12, and sometimes dangerous situations, like when it hit while I was alone in a downtown area of a strange city abroad -- not a great situation to become completely immobile and incapacitated and vomit for hours. The stories I have of bad situations I've been in ... Not to mention all the missed school and make up exams, and missed events. Fun times.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/causes-prevention/risk/hormones/oral-contraceptives-fact-sheet

From cancer.gov: there is an increased risk of breast cancer.

I never used oral BC and I don’t drink. Those are two things I can control…and not have to second guess myself down the road if I develop bc.

Ditto for exercise and not being obese. And not smoking.

Right, and it is less of an increased risk for the average woman than drinking is.

You are making the choices you made at least in part to decrease that risk. That's great! And it's great to talk about the risks that come into play with hormonal contraception. But it's disingenuous to say that risk is important without putting it into perspective with other things that increase risk, if it is really the risk that we are talking about. That's all.

Ok.

But I’m talking about increased risk of breast cancer.

I think Big Pharma and doctors failed when it came to disclosing the increased risk.

I understand there are obvious risks related to pregnancy. I suspect most women have a handle on those risks. But we have a problem when generations of women believe birth control decreased their breast cancer risk. We have a problem when women used it for 30+ years thinking it didn’t come without risk. We have a problem when doctors think BC is okay for women with severe migraines.

Doctors aggressively push the pill and other hormonal BC. Do they truly believe all women are too inept to use condoms and the calendar? I switched doctors when one told me I was reckless for refusing the pill. My next doctor told me I was wise. He said his wife and daughters aren’t using hormonal birth control either.

Glad it works for you. What's the overall fail rate on those for women in general?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I went on BC at 16 not because I was sexually active but because every month I would get so sick I couldn't function. When I went off of it to conceive, I again got very sick every month. I do have a couple of side effects but after working with my doctor we determined that was the best choice for me.

Personally I just want all women to have  choices with their bodies. That means all types of birth control are available and all types of abortions are available. I don't want some old white dude sitting in a room full of other old shite dudes deciding what I and my family members can do with their bodies. It's ridiculous.

Fyi, advocates for getting rid of birth control include men and women, younger and older, white and POC.

I guarantee none of them suffered from debilitating periods. They think thy "know" all there is to know to make decisions for others.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/causes-prevention/risk/hormones/oral-contraceptives-fact-sheet

From cancer.gov: there is an increased risk of breast cancer.

I never used oral BC and I don’t drink. Those are two things I can control…and not have to second guess myself down the road if I develop bc.

Ditto for exercise and not being obese. And not smoking.

Right, and it is less of an increased risk for the average woman than drinking is.

You are making the choices you made at least in part to decrease that risk. That's great! And it's great to talk about the risks that come into play with hormonal contraception. But it's disingenuous to say that risk is important without putting it into perspective with other things that increase risk, if it is really the risk that we are talking about. That's all.

Ok.

But I’m talking about increased risk of breast cancer.

I think Big Pharma and doctors failed when it came to disclosing the increased risk.

I understand there are obvious risks related to pregnancy. I suspect most women have a handle on those risks. But we have a problem when generations of women believe birth control decreased their breast cancer risk. We have a problem when women used it for 30+ years thinking it didn’t come without risk. We have a problem when doctors think BC is okay for women with severe migraines.

Doctors aggressively push the pill and other hormonal BC. Do they truly believe all women are too inept to use condoms and the calendar? I switched doctors when one told me I was reckless for refusing the pill. My next doctor told me I was wise. He said his wife and daughters aren’t using hormonal birth control either.

You don't know the new data on this, do you?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/causes-prevention/risk/hormones/oral-contraceptives-fact-sheet

From cancer.gov: there is an increased risk of breast cancer.

I never used oral BC and I don’t drink. Those are two things I can control…and not have to second guess myself down the road if I develop bc.

Ditto for exercise and not being obese. And not smoking.

Right, and it is less of an increased risk for the average woman than drinking is.

You are making the choices you made at least in part to decrease that risk. That's great! And it's great to talk about the risks that come into play with hormonal contraception. But it's disingenuous to say that risk is important without putting it into perspective with other things that increase risk, if it is really the risk that we are talking about. That's all.

Ok.

But I’m talking about increased risk of breast cancer.

I think Big Pharma and doctors failed when it came to disclosing the increased risk.

I understand there are obvious risks related to pregnancy. I suspect most women have a handle on those risks. But we have a problem when generations of women believe birth control decreased their breast cancer risk. We have a problem when women used it for 30+ years thinking it didn’t come without risk. We have a problem when doctors think BC is okay for women with severe migraines.

Doctors aggressively push the pill and other hormonal BC. Do they truly believe all women are too inept to use condoms and the calendar? I switched doctors when one told me I was reckless for refusing the pill. My next doctor told me I was wise. He said his wife and daughters aren’t using hormonal birth control either.

You don't know the new data on this, do you?

I have severe migraine with aura, so I am a stroke risk. No hormonal BC for me.

I take a daily low-dose aspirin.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I went on BC at 16 not because I was sexually active but because every month I would get so sick I couldn't function. When I went off of it to conceive, I again got very sick every month. I do have a couple of side effects but after working with my doctor we determined that was the best choice for me.

Personally I just want all women to have  choices with their bodies. That means all types of birth control are available and all types of abortions are available. I don't want some old white dude sitting in a room full of other old shite dudes deciding what I and my family members can do with their bodies. It's ridiculous.

Fyi, advocates for getting rid of birth control include men and women, younger and older, white and POC.

I guarantee none of them suffered from debilitating periods. They think thy "know" all there is to know to make decisions for others.

Did you check for endo? Adenomyosis? Get your constipation under control?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/causes-prevention/risk/hormones/oral-contraceptives-fact-sheet

From cancer.gov: there is an increased risk of breast cancer.

I never used oral BC and I don’t drink. Those are two things I can control…and not have to second guess myself down the road if I develop bc.

Ditto for exercise and not being obese. And not smoking.

Right, and it is less of an increased risk for the average woman than drinking is.

You are making the choices you made at least in part to decrease that risk. That's great! And it's great to talk about the risks that come into play with hormonal contraception. But it's disingenuous to say that risk is important without putting it into perspective with other things that increase risk, if it is really the risk that we are talking about. That's all.

Ok.

But I’m talking about increased risk of breast cancer.

I think Big Pharma and doctors failed when it came to disclosing the increased risk.

I understand there are obvious risks related to pregnancy. I suspect most women have a handle on those risks. But we have a problem when generations of women believe birth control decreased their breast cancer risk. We have a problem when women used it for 30+ years thinking it didn’t come without risk. We have a problem when doctors think BC is okay for women with severe migraines.

Doctors aggressively push the pill and other hormonal BC. Do they truly believe all women are too inept to use condoms and the calendar? I switched doctors when one told me I was reckless for refusing the pill. My next doctor told me I was wise. He said his wife and daughters aren’t using hormonal birth control either.

You don't know the new data on this, do you?

I have severe migraine with aura, so I am a stroke risk. No hormonal BC for me.

I take a daily low-dose aspirin.

Right. You are not aware of the updated recommendations. A low dose hormonal contraceptive may actually decrease the risk of stroke in women with severe migraine with aura by decreasing events. OF COURSE, talk to your doctor first -- or, if they are not updated, talk with a headache specialist and/or neurologist.

This is all still in flux, but the guidelines are changing. Stay safe and take care of yourself, and make the choices that are right for you (whatever they are).

Unnecessary confusion still surrounds the use of combined hormonal contraceptives (CHCs) in the setting of migraine with aura (MwA). Clearing this confusion is a key issue for headache specialists, since most women with migraine have menstrual-related migraine (MRM), and some CHCs can prevent this particularly severe migraine. Their use, however, is still restricted by current guidelines due to concerns of increased stroke risk - concerns that originated over half a century ago in the era of high dose contraceptives. Yet studies consistently show that stroke risk is not increased with today's very low dose CHCs containing 20-25 µg ethinyl estradiol (EE), and continuous ultra low-dose formulations (10-15 µg EE) may even reduce aura frequency, thereby potentially decreasing stroke risk. This article clarifies the stroke risk of CHCs and examines their impact on migraine. It also examines how stroke risk is altered by the estrogen content of the CHC, by contributing factors such as smoking, age and hypertension, and by aura frequency. And finally, it puts these risks into a meaningful context with a risk/benefit assessment.

Hormonal Contraceptives and Migraine With Aura-Is There Still a Risk?
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27774589/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/causes-prevention/risk/hormones/oral-contraceptives-fact-sheet

From cancer.gov: there is an increased risk of breast cancer.

I never used oral BC and I don’t drink. Those are two things I can control…and not have to second guess myself down the road if I develop bc.

Ditto for exercise and not being obese. And not smoking.

Right, and it is less of an increased risk for the average woman than drinking is.

You are making the choices you made at least in part to decrease that risk. That's great! And it's great to talk about the risks that come into play with hormonal contraception. But it's disingenuous to say that risk is important without putting it into perspective with other things that increase risk, if it is really the risk that we are talking about. That's all.

Ok.

But I’m talking about increased risk of breast cancer.

I think Big Pharma and doctors failed when it came to disclosing the increased risk.

I understand there are obvious risks related to pregnancy. I suspect most women have a handle on those risks. But we have a problem when generations of women believe birth control decreased their breast cancer risk. We have a problem when women used it for 30+ years thinking it didn’t come without risk. We have a problem when doctors think BC is okay for women with severe migraines.

Doctors aggressively push the pill and other hormonal BC. Do they truly believe all women are too inept to use condoms and the calendar? I switched doctors when one told me I was reckless for refusing the pill. My next doctor told me I was wise. He said his wife and daughters aren’t using hormonal birth control either.

You don't know the new data on this, do you?

I have severe migraine with aura, so I am a stroke risk. No hormonal BC for me.

I take a daily low-dose aspirin.

Right. You are not aware of the updated recommendations. A low dose hormonal contraceptive may actually decrease the risk of stroke in women with severe migraine with aura by decreasing events. OF COURSE, talk to your doctor first -- or, if they are not updated, talk with a headache specialist and/or neurologist.

This is all still in flux, but the guidelines are changing. Stay safe and take care of yourself, and make the choices that are right for you (whatever they are).

Unnecessary confusion still surrounds the use of combined hormonal contraceptives (CHCs) in the setting of migraine with aura (MwA). Clearing this confusion is a key issue for headache specialists, since most women with migraine have menstrual-related migraine (MRM), and some CHCs can prevent this particularly severe migraine. Their use, however, is still restricted by current guidelines due to concerns of increased stroke risk - concerns that originated over half a century ago in the era of high dose contraceptives. Yet studies consistently show that stroke risk is not increased with today's very low dose CHCs containing 20-25 µg ethinyl estradiol (EE), and continuous ultra low-dose formulations (10-15 µg EE) may even reduce aura frequency, thereby potentially decreasing stroke risk. This article clarifies the stroke risk of CHCs and examines their impact on migraine. It also examines how stroke risk is altered by the estrogen content of the CHC, by contributing factors such as smoking, age and hypertension, and by aura frequency. And finally, it puts these risks into a meaningful context with a risk/benefit assessment.

Hormonal Contraceptives and Migraine With Aura-Is There Still a Risk?
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27774589/

Sigh

Anyone who has suffered with severe migraine with aura as I have for several decades is under the care of seasoned neurologists and tracks the latest research.

I’m not convinced, and neither are they.

After consulting top docs up and down the east coast, the consensus is blood vessel infrastructure and inflammation play a role.

Plus, estrogen. Not interested in increasing my odds of breast cancer.

Lastly: a friend died of a stroke. She was practically bullied into going onto the pill after a surprise yet very much wanted baby in her late 30s. She suffered from severe migraines and her young OB pointed to the latest research saying it was fine.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I might have been you when I was young. That’s before I learned I have a genetic blood clotting disorder and my mom almost died of a blood clot, and the hematologists warned me that I could never use hormonal BC again. One of them, a woman, told me she was angry about how many young women with clots she saw.

These aren’t risk-free. And it is not some conservative conspiracy to say that.

DP. I'm glad you found out, and I'm glad you have alternative options.

But before you knew about your inherited thrombophilia, you know what would have been a greater risk to you for forming clots than BCP? Pregnancy.

What a condescending and unnecessary response. Ugly.

But notably not untrue.

I’m the PP who posted about my blood clotting disorder. The PPs post about pregnancy suggests she has quite a dim understanding of causality. I’m not really convinced she is the best spokesperson for hormonal birth control, truth be told.

Pregnancy is a higher risk factor for blood clots than OCP. That is just medical facts. If you don't know that, then I'm afraid you have a rather dim understanding of how this works -- and why are you offering advice?

To put the risk of developing a blood clot from a birth control pill into perspective: The risk of blood clots is higher when using any birth control pills than not using them, but still remains lower than the risk of developing blood clots in pregnancy and in the postpartum period.

FDA Drug Safety Communication: Updated information about the risk of blood clots in women taking birth control pills containing drospirenone
https://www.fda.gov/drugs/drug-safety-and-availability/fda-drug-safety-communication-updated-information-about-risk-blood-clots-women-taking-birth-control

People use contraceptives for a number of reasons, including to regulate their periods, to help balance their moods, to reduce acne and to eliminate menstrual cramps. Of course, most people who take CHC do so to stop them getting pregnant - and pregnancy itself entails a far higher blood clot risk than that associated with combined hormonal contraceptives.

Does the contraceptive pill increase your risk of blood clots?
https://patient.info/news-and-features/does-the-contraceptive-pill-increase-your-risk-of-blood-clots

PP here. My God. Do you truly only think my only choices were pregnancy or hormonal birth control?

Wow. You really are dim.