The pill is riskier than the AstraZeneca vaccine

Several countries have suspended the AstraZeneca vaccination campaign after reports of cases of thrombosis. A risk already incurred on a daily basis by women taking the pill.

Since last week, many countries have suspended AstraZeneca stamped vaccinations. The cause is the appearance of thromboses, or blood clots, reported in a few cases. Exactly twenty-two out of three million vaccinated subjects. Or 0.0000073%. This decision is not based on science, no link has yet been proven and cases of thrombosis do not exceed the usual rate in the general population. However, another widely used drug presents a proven risk of thrombosis: contraceptive pills, which many women swallow every day.

The controversy triggered by the risk of thrombosis linked to the AstraZeneca vaccine has resurfaced the debate on social networks: what about the pill? " If we were as worried about pill thrombosis as we were about AZ, we would make progress on contraception », Wrote a user on Twitter.

This is because the hormones in the pill, especially estrogen, promote blood clotting and increase the stickiness of blood platelets, which changes the pressure in the blood vessels. Note that the risk of thrombosis is increased if it is associated with risk factors, such as overweight or smoking.

Read also: They stopped the contraceptive pill and tell us why

Thrombosis, a proven risk for women on the pill

In France, according to figures from the National Medicines Agency (ANSM), "the incidence of a venous thromboembolism is about 40 cases per year per 100,000 women" for 3rd or 4th generation pills. A figure far removed from the 30 or so cases of thrombosis reported in Europe out of nearly 5 million vaccinated with AstraZeneca serum.

"The estrogen-progestogen pills containing the following progestins – desogestrel, gestodene, norgestimate, drospirenone, chlormadinone – double the risk of thrombosis in women treated", details Inserm. While the 3rd and 4th generation pills are the main ones concerned, the risk is not zero with the 2nd generation pills, with nearly 20 cases per year per 100,000 women.

Despite the many scandals surrounding the 3rd and 4th generation pills, it is clear that the risks of thrombosis generated by the pill cause much less concern than those of the vaccine. And if the Paul-Ehrlich-Institut defends itself by asserting: “Birth control pills are only available by prescription. Each woman must be informed of this risk by the prescribing doctor ", women's stories highlight the lack of information from the medical profession. The High Authority for Health, however, insists on the need to inform women of the risk of thrombosis when prescribing.

Finally, remember that in France in 2021, women still carry the contraceptive burden of their couple and sometimes endure painful side effects, even dangerous for health.

Video by Clara Poudevigne