Birth control is safe, with low risk of clots, for women with sickle cell: Review

Hormonal contraceptives — birth control medications that use lab-made versions of reproductive hormones — appear to be generally safe for use by women with sickle cell disease (SCD), a new review study found.

The frequency of thrombosis, or the blockage of blood flow due to a clot, was low to none among women using hormonal birth control, according to the researchers, who reviewed four newer studies and several older ones to determine the outcomes seen with the use of these medications among female patients with SCD.

Further, the risk of painful episodes was generally not increased among those taking hormonal contraceptives, the studies showed.

In fact, the researchers noted, some studies suggested that using contraceptive methods that contain only a lab-made version of the progesterone hormone may decrease painful episodes. Those findings emphasize the need for future studies to confirm any beneficial effects, the team noted.

Overall, “the certainty of evidence was low for all outcomes,” the researchers wrote, adding that “establishing safe practices for hormonal contraception use that account for dynamic health risks is critical for meeting the sexual and reproductive health needs of women with SCD.”