There are several health risks that go along specifically with smoking while on combined hormone methods like birth control pills or the Patch. Combined hormone methods contain both synthetic estrogen and progestin. They mimic the hormones produced by a woman’s ovaries. Usually, these hormones prevent the ovaries from releasing an egg (ovulation). They can also thicken the cervical mucus, which prevents sperm from joining with an egg.
Smoking while using birth control pills, the Patch, or NuvaRing can be dangerous.
Women who use combined hormone birth control types and smoke cigarettes can have very serious health risks. The older the woman is and the more she smokes, the greater the danger. Risk of death is much higher for women 35 and older who smoke and use combined hormone methods than it is for nonsmokers. Women 35 and over who smoke and use a combined hormone birth control type are nearly 10 times more likely to have a heart attack than women who don’t smoke or use one of these methods.
If you want to use the Pill, the Patch or NuvaRing and are 35 or older and smoke, be prepared to give up one or the other.
This is especially true if you have diabetes, high blood pressure, or elevated cholesterol, because these conditions further heighten the risk of heart attack or stroke.
If you cannot quit smoking, you must choose another birth control type. Trying to stop smoking is not easy. The physical withdrawal could last only two weeks, but the psychological addiction is a longer and more difficult path to follow. But take heart, within one year of quitting, a smoker’s risk of heart disease is cut by half. Five years after quitting, an ex-smoker’s chance of heart attack and stroke drops to about the same as the risk of someone who never smoked at all.
Ten years after quitting, an ex-smoker’s risk of developing lung cancer is reduced to about the same as a nonsmoker’s risk.
Some smoking facts.
- Women who smoke die nearly seven years earlier than nonsmokers.
- Women who smoke are 13 times as likely as nonsmokers to develop lung cancer – the number one cause of cancer death for North American women.
- Smokers are nearly four times as likely as nonsmokers to develop cervical cancer.
- Smokers have twice as much heart disease as nonsmokers – those who smoke two packs or more a day have three times as much heart disease.
- Smoking is also associated with cancers of the bladder, colon, esophagus, kidney, liver, mouth, pancreas, rectum, stomach, and throat.
- Smoking seems to stimulate the recurrence of genital warts.
- Smoking is associated with early menopause.
- Smoking is associated with decreased fertility. Women who smoke take longer to get pregnant than nonsmokers. Smokers also have much higher rates of miscarriage.
Smoking during pregnancy:
- Causes premature birth
- Leads to low birth weight, which causes other health problems
- Increases the risk of infant death just after birth by 25 percent
Helpful tips to stop smoking:
There is no “safe” level of smoking. But the less you smoke, the fewer risks you run.
- Don’t smoke down to the end of the cigarette.
- Take fewer puffs on a cigarette.
- Cut down the amount you inhale.
- Cut down the number of cigarettes you smoke each day.
- Try using a nicotine substitute – skin patch or chewing gum.
- Talk to your doctor about prescription medication that can help you.
- Chew sugarless gum.
- Keep a list of reasons you want to quit and refer to it often.
- Enlist the support of family and friends.
BirthControlBuzz is a service company that provides birth control prices, birth control types (prescription required), health administrative services, and birth control statistics predominantly to US patients seeking to purchase pharmaceuticals on-line.
For more information, call 1-866-732-0305 or visit http://www.birthcontrolbuzz.com/.
Birth Control Buzz is a service company that provides birth control prices, types of birth control(prescription required), health administrative services, and birth control statistics predominantly to US patients seeking to purchase pharmaceuticals on-line. For more information, call 1-866-868-8850 or visit http://www.birthcontrolbuzz.com/.
My name is Kayla…Im 15. Ive been on the pill for close to a year now…and have been smoking during the time of being on the pill, and before. MY family is very High Risk for cancer. Every member has died because of smoking in younger days. Me being on the pill and smoking…Will I develope cancer early?
Comment by Kayla — June 19, 2011 @ 7:28 pm
Dear Kayla,
Smoking in general will increase your risk for cancer on it’s own. Smoking and being on the pill will increase your risk for fatal blood clots, heart attack, and stroke. It is highly recommended that you quit smoking to decrease your risk for cancer, fatal blood clots, heart attack, and stroke.
Comment by Janine — June 20, 2011 @ 10:02 am
I am 17 and on the pill, I just wanted to know if smoking every once in a while will be harmful while on the pill. I rarely smoke, maybe like once a month I’ll have one with friends. I’m not addicted and I’m careful not to make a habit of it so I won’t get addicted. I was just wondering if it has any major effects i should be worried about because of the B.C.
Comment by Rachel — September 1, 2011 @ 10:07 pm
Dear Rachel,
When your doctor prescribed you birth control pills, he/she would have explained to you about smoking and being on the pill. If he/she didn’t, you can also read up on it from the instructions/warning’s information sheet within the package of birth control that you get every month. I highly recommend you to not smoke while on the pill because it can lead to very serious health risks. You can find more information on our blog about the health risks related to oral contraception and smoking: http://www.birthcontrolbuzz.com/blog/2006/06/smoking-while-using-birth-control-is-it-dangerous.html
Comment by Janine — September 6, 2011 @ 9:50 am
I just started the pill, but it is just for acne.. does smoking still effect that type of pill in a bad way
Comment by Ashley — October 4, 2011 @ 7:20 pm
Dear Ashley,
The health risks still apply for you if you are a smoker and take the pill.
Comment by Janine — October 5, 2011 @ 6:39 am
what are the actual percentage numbers of women having health related problems from smoking while on the pill?
Comment by mal — November 1, 2011 @ 3:58 pm
I am 18 years old and do smoke. I have been on the pill since i started my period pretty much due to bad cramps heavy heavy periods. Are there other birth control methods that have less of a risk? I have been reading up that they can cause blood clots, just trying to see what my options are… Or does those things not apply because we are younger?
Comment by Erica — November 2, 2011 @ 4:04 pm
Dear Mal,
According to a study conducted by the World Health Organization, woman who smoked and did take oral contraceptives had 7 times higher risk of stroke compared with women who did smoke but did NOT take oral contraceptives. Women who smoked and did not take contraceptives only had 1.3 times the risk of stroke.
Comment by Janine — November 4, 2011 @ 9:29 am
Dear Erica,
If you are an 18 year old smoker on birth control, your risk of stroke, clots, etc is less than a 35+ smoker on birth control, but is still a lot higher than an 18 year old non smoker on birth control. As you age, your risk will increase and when you get to the age of 35, you should either quit smoking or come off of the pill because your risk of stroke, clots, etc is so high that it outweighs the benefit of birth control.
I believe all hormonal birth control methods offer the same warning of risks, especially for smokers. The only birth control with less of a risk for stroke, clots, etc, is the non hormonal contraceptives (ie. condoms and spermicide).
Comment by Janine — November 4, 2011 @ 11:48 am
How high exactly is the risk of stroke, clots, etc for smokers over 35 on the pill? For example, if in the general population the risk is 1%, then for a smoker it would be 7%. Still not a seemingly high risk.
Comment by Bridget — November 15, 2011 @ 7:39 am
Dear Bridget,
A study that was conducted by an epidemiologist at Boston University School of Medicine in Brookline, Mass., indicates that women on a low dose birth control pill and smoke more than 25 cigarettes a day are 30 times more likely to have a first-time heart attack. The risk is lower for light and non-smokers. For more information on this study, please visit: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11322840.
Comment by Janine — November 18, 2011 @ 10:00 am
Im 14 years old and just started the pill today and Ive been researching the dangers of smoking and being on the pill… I’m only on the pill for my period so it’s not an option to stop the pill… I only smoke once a week with y friends and I’m not addicted. Since I’m so young and don’t smoke that often, what are my chances for a heart attack or blood clot?
Comment by Mary — December 25, 2011 @ 10:23 am
Dear Mary,
Chances for a heart attack or blood clot for you right now is low because you are only 14 years old. I do recommend you to quit smoking because when you get older, you may still be on the pill for your period and it may be harder for you to quit smoking after being a smoker for a long time.
Comment by Janine — January 4, 2012 @ 3:56 pm
Ok I’ve been reading up on this I’m very terrified because I’m 18 I’ve been on birth control since may of last year I started smoking around November and reading all these messages it really worries me. So what should I do?! Being on birth control scares me enough but being on birth control and being a smoker really frightens me.
Comment by Detrana Brown — January 23, 2012 @ 10:54 pm
Dear Detrana,
I would highly advise you to quit smoking because there are no health benefits for smoking at all. Birth Control pills will prevent you from pregnancy, if you are sexually active you should stay on it.
Comment by Janine — January 24, 2012 @ 9:47 am
Ok so my next question is when I do plan to stop taking birth control me smoking in the past will that prevent me from getting pregnant in the future?
Comment by Detrana Brown — January 25, 2012 @ 3:34 pm
Dear Detrana,
If you stop taking birth control, there will be nothing to prevent you from getting pregnant. If you want to prevent pregnancy, stay on the birth control. Smoking has nothing to do with preventing pregnancy, it only increases your risk for severe side effects mentioned in all birth control packets and also your doctor before he/she prescribes you the pill.
Comment by Janine — January 26, 2012 @ 10:30 am