What are the Risks of Binovum?

As with any type of medication, there are risks to using Binovum. You are increasing the levels of hormones in your body by taking the pill and they get absorbed into the blood stream, potentially causing risks to your health. These risks are very rare, as the pill would not be available if it posed a great health risk to the population, but a small minority of women may be at risk.

Blood clots

Binovum can increase your risk of blood clots, which can lead to serious health implications.  You are most at risk of getting a blood clot in your first year of taking the pill but it only slightly increases your risk of getting a blood clot. Increased oestrogen levels can cause your blood to clot more easily and clots may form in your legs, causing blockage of vessels. They are potentially life threatening if they become dislodged from the vessel and travel to your lungs where they can cause a pulmonary embolism.

They can also occur in coronary arteries, which can lead to restricted blood flow to your heart and heart attacks can occur. Any blood clots that form in the blood vessels to your brain can potentially block the vessels and cause a stroke.  Both of these are very serious implications so there are a few signs and symptoms that you should look out for. If you get pain or swelling of your legs, changes in vision or chest pain contact your doctor.

The risk of blood clots increases with a number of factors, which include smoking, obesity, immobility, heart disease and diabetes so you are more than likely going to be offered a different form of contraception.

Cancer

Although Binovum has been found to reduce the risk of some cancers, it can increase the risk of cervical cancer and breast cancer. Your risk of breast cancer will increase, the longer you are on the pill but will go back to normal approximately ten years after stopping the pill. Women with a history of breast cancer will not be allowed to use the pill. You should check your breasts regularly for lumps or anything out or the ordinary and make sure you attend your smear tests. The chances of cancer are rare but there is a slight increase in risk.

There is a higher risk of cancer if you also have a number of other factors.  If you have a family history of breast cancer, you are more at risk of getting it yourself whilst being on the pill. Being seriously overweight also increases the risk. Age can also play a part in increasing the risk of cancer, which is why the pill is not often prescribed to women over the age of 40.

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