The recent recommendations from a Food and Drug Administration (FDA) advisory committee about safety concerns with contraceptives may make women more leery when deciding which birth control is best for them. But even for women who are currently on birth control, understanding the risks is vital.
Could your birth control pill be affecting your preferences for romantic partners? Researchers say there is evidence that contraceptives alter both a woman’s and a man’s perception of attractiveness. A review of data on the topic was recently published in the journal Trends in Ecology and Evolution and reported in the Wall Street Journal.
Swissmedic, the Swiss Agency for Therapeutic Products, has closed its formal investigation into contraceptives containing drospirenone, following the death of one young woman and of another woman who is now severely disabled. The agency says that although the risk of thrombosis, or blood clots, is higher with this generation of contraceptives, the risk remains “within reasonable limits.” Swissmedic says the drug will remain on the market there but the drugs are required to have updated information on their label to reflect an increased risk of serious injury.
