Variable | Relative risk compared with nonpregnant women without the risk factor | Absolute risk |
Nonpregnant, not taking hormones | 1.0 | VTE: 1 to 5/10,000 woman-years[1] |
Pregnancy | 4.29 (95% CI 3.49-5.22; p<0.001) compared with nonpregnant women[2] | VTE: 5 to 20/10,000 woman-years[1] PE: 1/10,000 woman-years |
Postpartum | 4.29 (95% CI 3.49-5.22; p<0.001) compared with nonpregnant women[2] | VTE: 40 to 65/10,000 woman-years[1] PE: 16 per 10,000 woman-years |
Progestin type* | RR of VTE:[3,4]
| |
Estrogen dose | 20 mcg ethinyl estradiol with levonorgestrel versus non-use: 2.2 (95% CI 1.3-3.6) | |
30 mcg ethinyl estradiol with levonorgestrel versus 20 mcg ethinyl estradiol with levonorgestrel: 1.1 (95% CI 0.7-1.7) | ||
50 mcg ethinyl estradiol with levonorgestrel versus 20 mcg ethinyl estradiol with levonorgestrel: 2.3 (95% CI 1.3-4.2)[3,4] | ||
Thrombophilias | Factor V Leiden: 2.6 no OC, 5.73 (5.31-6.17)¶[5] | |
Other heritable thrombophilia: Prothrombin mutation carriers 5.23 (4.67-5.87)¶[5] |
CI: confidence interval; COC: combined oral contraceptives; OC: oral contraceptives; PE: pulmonary embolism; RR: relative risk; VTE: venous thromboembolism.
* Progestin type used in combination with estrogen; formulation and dose not specified.
¶ Combined hetero- and homozygous patients, multiple OC types.
Original table modified for this publication. Practice Committee of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine. Combined hormonal contraception and the risk of venous thromboembolism: a guideline. Fertil Steril 2017; 107:43. Table used with the permission of Elsevier Inc.