College
Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine
Keywords
Obstetrics and Gynecology, Women's Health, Primary Care, Medicine and Health Sciences, Oral Contraceptives, Venous Thromboembolism
Date of Presentation
5-1-2025 12:00 AM
Poster Abstract
Background: Combined oral contraceptives (COCs) are a widely used method of birth control in the U.S., particularly among women aged 15–44. COCs are known to increase the risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE). Obesity, which affects over 40% of adult women in the U.S., is also a recognized independent risk factor for VTE. However, the compounded risk posed by the simultaneous presence of obesity and COC use has not been thoroughly explored.
Hypothesis: Obesity significantly elevates the risk of VTE in women using COCs, demonstrating a synergistic interaction between these two factors.
Methods: A systematic literature review was conducted using PubMed, Embase, and Scopus. The search included clinical trials, cohort studies, and peer-reviewed articles from the last 25 years examining the relationship between COC use, obesity, and VTE.
Results: Findings indicate a strong positive correlation between BMI and VTE risk in COC users. One meta-analysis reported a baseline VTE incidence of 39.4 per 100,000 woman-years among COC users, with progressively increasing odds ratios (ORs) for higher BMI categories. Women with a BMI ≥35 had an OR of 3.1 compared to those with a BMI of 20–24.9. Another study showed VTE risk increasing up to 24-fold in obese COC users compared to non-obese non-users.
Conclusion: Obesity amplifies the thrombotic risk associated with COC use. These findings underscore the importance of personalized contraceptive counseling and targeted preventive strategies for obese women to reduce VTE risk.
Disciplines
Cardiovascular Diseases | Chemical Actions and Uses | Hormones, Hormone Substitutes, and Hormone Antagonists | Medicine and Health Sciences | Nutritional and Metabolic Diseases | Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms | Women's Health
Included in
Cardiovascular Diseases Commons, Chemical Actions and Uses Commons, Hormones, Hormone Substitutes, and Hormone Antagonists Commons, Nutritional and Metabolic Diseases Commons, Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms Commons, Women's Health Commons
The Impact of Obesity on the Risk of Venous Thromboembolism in Users of Combined Oral Contraceptives: A Comprehensive Literature Review
Background: Combined oral contraceptives (COCs) are a widely used method of birth control in the U.S., particularly among women aged 15–44. COCs are known to increase the risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE). Obesity, which affects over 40% of adult women in the U.S., is also a recognized independent risk factor for VTE. However, the compounded risk posed by the simultaneous presence of obesity and COC use has not been thoroughly explored.
Hypothesis: Obesity significantly elevates the risk of VTE in women using COCs, demonstrating a synergistic interaction between these two factors.
Methods: A systematic literature review was conducted using PubMed, Embase, and Scopus. The search included clinical trials, cohort studies, and peer-reviewed articles from the last 25 years examining the relationship between COC use, obesity, and VTE.
Results: Findings indicate a strong positive correlation between BMI and VTE risk in COC users. One meta-analysis reported a baseline VTE incidence of 39.4 per 100,000 woman-years among COC users, with progressively increasing odds ratios (ORs) for higher BMI categories. Women with a BMI ≥35 had an OR of 3.1 compared to those with a BMI of 20–24.9. Another study showed VTE risk increasing up to 24-fold in obese COC users compared to non-obese non-users.
Conclusion: Obesity amplifies the thrombotic risk associated with COC use. These findings underscore the importance of personalized contraceptive counseling and targeted preventive strategies for obese women to reduce VTE risk.
