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In a review of vaccine safety data, blood clots were found to be most common in women under 55.
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Taking a COVID-19 vaccine does not increase the risk of blood clots.
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But the birth control pill, pregnancy and obesity can lead to a higher existing risk.
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Following a preliminary review of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine data, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) concluded last week that the shot was not associated with an increased risk of blood clots.
The number of clots reported after vaccination was actually lower than expected in the general population, the EMA said in a press release on Thursday.
But one part of the vaccinated population experiences more blood clots than normal: women younger than 55 years.
Young women are at a higher risk of developing certain types of blood clots, regardless of their vaccination status, Mary Cushman, a professor of medicine at Larner College of Medicine at the University of Vermont, told Insider. Hormonal birth control and pregnancy may play a role in this increased risk.
Sabine Straus, head of the EMA’s safety committee, said in the briefing on Thursday that an increased risk of clotting due to birth restrictions ‘is always a clear possibility’ and that the EMA may investigate this further in the near future.
Birth control pills and pregnancy both increase the risk of blood clots
Young women are at a relatively high risk for blood clots as they are likely to take the birth control pill or get pregnant, both of which increase the chances of developing a blood clot, Cushman told Insider.
In fact, the risk of getting a blood clot as a side effect of the pill is much higher than the likelihood of clotting due to the vaccine. Scientists have known about this risk factor for decades, and it recently appeared in a TikTok video.
“Millions of women everywhere take the contraceptive pill, and among the hundreds of side effects that the contraceptive pill brings – one of which is death – there is a 6 in 10,000 chance of getting a blood clot,” TikToker said alysselizabeth in the video.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration estimates that between 3 and 9 out of 10,000 women who take certain birth control pills will develop a blood clot each year, compared to 1 in 5 women per 10,000 who have no risk factors for blood clots.
Estrogen, a sex hormone that is found in most oral contraceptives and nails during pregnancy, is one of the reasons for the increased risk, Anna Medaris Miller of Insider reported earlier. The hormone has also been found to affect how immune cells respond to flu vaccines.
There are other risk factors for blood clots – including COVID-19
Obesity and genetic factors can also increase someone’s risk of getting a blood clot, Cushman said. Physical activity and other healthy lifestyle choices can help manage the risk.
“It’s always very important to stay active, avoid sitting time, maintain a healthy weight and have a healthy diet,” Cushman said. “And if you use an oral contraceptive, or if you are obese, you might just be a little more aware, but avoid the chance.”
She added that COVID-19 has also been linked to deadly blood clots – so getting vaccinated can help prevent blood clots by lowering the chance of coronavirus disease.
“The bottom line is that the risk of adverse health effects of COVID-19 outweighs any risk of the shot,” Cushman said.
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