Birth Control Pills May Clog Arteries

Birth control pills taken by about 100 million women worldwide may clog arteries when taken more than 10 years, according to a study. Women on oral contraceptives were 20 percent to 30 percent more likely to have buildup of fat and cholesterol in their arteries, reducing blood flow, according to a study of 1,301 Belgian women ages 35 to 55. Most used birth control now made by companies like Johnson & Johnson and Barr Pharmaceuticals Inc. for more than 10 years. Fatty clogs can lead to heart disease and stroke. The pills in the study were older forms that combined estrogen and progestin, two sex hormones. The research was reported at the American Heart Association meeting in Orlando.