Thousands of women taking the mini-contraceptive pill may be at higher risk of severe asthma attacks, a worrying new study suggests.
British researchers from Imperial College London, who followed more than 260,000 women, found that those with asthma who used the progestogen-only pill (also known as the mini-pill) were over 35% more likely to experience an asthma attack compared to women who had never used it.
In contrast, no increase in asthma attacks was observed in those using the combined pill - which contains both estrogen and progesterone.
Why is the mini-pill dangerous?
Researchers are still not sure why the progesterone-only pill increases the risk, but some previous research suggests that progesterone may increase inflammation in the airways, especially during periods of hormonal changes – which could explain why more women suffer from asthma than men.
Dr Chloe Bloom, lead author of the study, said:
"Asthma is common in women of reproductive age, and many of them use the pill. This study helps women and doctors make more informed decisions about the most appropriate contraception."
Results of the study
The study included 261,827 women between the ages of 18 and 50 who had asthma and were using either the mini or combination pill.
They were compared with 127,502 women with asthma who had never used oral contraceptives.
During a 16-year follow-up, it was found that women under 35 who used the mini-pill had a 39% higher risk of asthma attacks.
Women who used fewer asthma medications had a 20% higher risk if they took the mini-pill.
In women with eosinophilic asthma (high levels of eosinophils in the blood), the risk increased by 24%, but this was not statistically significant due to the small sample size.
Should you be worried?
Experts emphasize that it is too early to change medical practices.
"This is an important step in better understanding the risk factors for women with asthma, but more research is needed to make safer decisions about contraceptives," said Dr Erika Kennington from Asthma and Lung UK.
Other important information:
Around 6% of women aged 16–49 in the UK use the mini-pill – approximately 3.1 million women.
Common side effects include nausea, breast tenderness, mood swings, and headaches.
Rare risks include blood clots and a slight increased risk of breast cancer and cervical cancer.
Asthma affects around 7.2 million people in the UK and kills three people a day. /Express newspaper/
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