FYI- kinda important to know...esp the 60% extra estrogen in the patch. I think there's more to it that they still havent uncovered. good to know, pass around, and stay away from!! i had so many problems with it, but didnt find this out till years after i got off.
Birth control patch linked to higher fatality rate - Women's health - MSNBC.com
Just recently on January 18th of this year the FDA changed the warning
label on the patch to reflect the now accepted higher risks:
"On January 18, 2008, the FDA approved additional changes to the
warning label of the Ortho Evra Contraceptive Transdermal Patch to
include the results of a new study. The study, conducted by the Boston
Collaborative Drug Surveillance Program, was funded by Johnson &
Johnson and found that users of the Ortho Evra birth control patch
ages 15-44, were at a higher risk of developing serious blood clots or
venous thromboembolism (VTE) than women using birth control pills. VTE
can lead to pulmonary embolism, which is a life-threatening condition.
Previously, the Ortho Evra birth control patch label was updated in
2006 to include the results of two other studies, one of which found a
nearly two-fold increased risk of blood clots for users of the patch
over traditional birth control pills. A label update in 2005 also
warned doctors and patients of the birth control patch's 60% higher
estrogen levels over the pill due to the general finding that
increased exposure to estrogen is associated with an increased risk of
blood clots. Women with concerns or other risk factors for blood clots
are encouraged to speak with their healthcare providers."