Blog

Sep 01

Contraceptive Pearl: the Patch, Deep Vein Thrombosis and Communicating Risk to Patients

Studies of the contraceptive patch and Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) have yielded conflicting results. In 2006, two trials found a higher incidence of nonfatal blood clots among women using the patch than among women taking oral contraceptives, while a third study found no significant difference. How can we frame this discussion so that we communicate honestly without alarming patients?