Oral contraceptives containing hormones increase the likelihood of blood clots, which may lead to coma and even death.
Two months ago, Jordan Ward nearly died. The 26-year-old — busy with work and wedding planning — was suffering from headaches, blurred, vision, vomiting and nausea.
“Honestly, I was just very overwhelmed with a tension headache,” she said.
She refused to see a doctor until her fiancee forced her to go the emergency room. Doctors thought she had migraines and sent her home, but the symptoms persisted.
The couple returned the next day. A CAT scan revealed something Ward couldn’t believe.
She suffered a kind of stroke, where a large clot blocked a network of veins in her brain.
“When I did get the news, I was in shock. I’m 26 years old,” Ward said.
The cause? Oral contraceptives.
Dr. George Teitelbaum, the medical director of the Providence Neurovascular Center, said oral contraceptives containing hormones raise the risk for dangerous blood clots, especially if a woman smokes, which Ward did.
Source: 26-year-old woman suffers stroke caused by birth control
