Benefits and risks of oral contraceptive use

Preview

Oral contraceptives do more than prevent pregnancy. Estrogen lowers the risk of ovarian cancer and cysts, and progestin lowers the risk of endometrial cancer. However, some agents may increase the risk of thromboembolism, hypertension, and coronary artery disease, and all interact with many other drugs. Dr Williams describes how to choose the best formulation for a particular patient and summarizes contraindications to even low-dose oral contraceptive therapy.