A study by Dr Sabina Cauci of the University of Uldine, Italy suggests that newer "third generation" oral contraceptives may increase levels of the inflammatory protein C- reactive protein (CRP) which has been linked to heart disease. This potentially places the women at higher risk for blood clots and heart disease.
While both second and third generation oral contraceptives contain estrogen coupled with progestin the difference between the pills is the type of progestin they contain. Newer contraceptives contain either desogestrel or gestodene while older pills contain levonrgentrel or norgestrel. Desogestrel and gestodene were introduced as a means of combating the adverse cardiovascular effects of oral contraceptives however, Cauci's research shows that they may not decrease the risks but in fact increase them.
"Our study showed that many young, healthy, normal-weight oral contraceptive users have elevated concentrations of high-sensitivity CRP and thus they are potentially at higher cardiovascular disease risk than nonusers," Cauci's team writes. They add, "Because this low-grade inflammatory condition is asymptomatic, it is not normally recognized and/or investigated."
The report indicates that of the women tested for CRP levels were significantly higher (27.3 % vs. 8.5%) in women using contraceptives than nonusers.
[Source: MedlinePlus]
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