Johnson & Johnson Vaccine Blood Clots Spark Conversation About The Pill
Art by Anya Ernst
On April 13, 2021 six women were reported to have severe blood clots from the Johnson & Johnson vaccine six to thirteen days after vaccination. The CDC and FDA chose to put a pause on the J&J vaccine rollouts to investigate the situation. So far, one woman has died from these blood clots and another is in critical condition. But with the recent news of these blood clots, a new conversation has sparked on social media.
Blood clots from birth control pills are a serious issue that one in 1,000 women suffer from every year. Although this statistic is small, it does put the average woman at a more increased risk, yet it seems as though no one talks about the risk of blood clots when taking the pill. Estrogen, the hormone in birth control pills, increases the risk of someone developing blood clots, especially during pregnancy.
The women who were reported to have blood clots from the J&J vaccine were between the ages of 18 and 48, a similar age group of women who are on the pill. In 2017, out of women aged 15-49, around nine million women were using the pill as a form of contraception. One of the six women who developed blood clots from the J&J vaccine was taking birth control pills, although it is unknown at this time if there is a link between the two. While the risk of blood clots is still extremely low with the J&J vaccine and birth control pills, COVID-19 itself has a threat eight to ten times more than the vaccine. These blood clots are what are causing COVID-19 patients to suffer from heart attacks, strokes, rashes, and “COVID” toes.
While the J&J vaccine is paused in the United States for the time being, why have birth control pills not been on pause since they carry a greater risk in developing blood clots? Well, the short answer: it’s complicated.
Many studies have been done reviewing blood clots in women who take the pill or use other forms of contraception. Any form of contraception with estrogen will have a higher risk in developing blood clots, but still very low. Newer forms of birth control pills with drospirenone have a greater risk than birth control pills with progestin. But, many of these studies contradict each other. Some show an increased risk with drospirenone pills while some have no risk at all. However, the FDA has put labels on drospirenone pills that carry a slightly higher risk of blood clots than other products.
All in all, while the risk of blood clots are very low in both the J&J vaccine and birth control pills, they are both important to discuss. Blood clots are a very serious issue that many people in the United States face no matter your gender. Since word broke out about the J&J vaccine, social media has been overflowing with posts about the importance of blood clots in birth control pills. This is a great time to get educated on the different forms of birth control, the side effects and risks they may pose to you and your health and which one will work best for you.
So should you still use birth control pills if you have a history of blood clots? It may be best to avoid birth control pills but always check with your doctor to find out which contraceptive method is right for you.
What if I was scheduled to get the J&J vaccine? Do not cancel your appointment without consulting the pharmacy, health center, or vaccination site. You may have to reschedule or you will be given a dose of the Moderna or Pfzier vaccine (which has not caused blood clots as far as we know).
What should I do if I got the J&J vaccine? If you got the Johnson & Johnson vaccine more than three weeks ago, you will most likely be okay since the six women started developing blood clots in the span of six to thirteen days. If you got your J&J vaccine recently (three weeks ago or less) it is best to monitor your symptoms, not to panic and call your doctor if you experience any symptoms of blood clots including severe headache, backache and blurred vision. The full list of blood clot symptoms can be found here.
