The Ortho-Evra contraceptive patch may be an unsafe alternative to birth control pills, according the United States Food and Drug Administration’s Web site.

Labeling for the patch was updated in November 2005 and is seen in bold on the packaging for the product, according to the FDA’s Web site.

The patch exposes women to 60 percent more estrogen than typical birth control pills containing 35 micrograms of estrogen, according to Ortho-Evra’s Web site.

Lonnie Donalds, pharmacist for CVS in Lubbock, Texas, said he hasn’t seen a decrease in Ortho-Evra use since the labeling update.

I work in pharmacies across Lubbock, Donalds said. The use of the patch has remained stable.

According the FDA’s Web site, estrogen, which is present in all birth control pills and the patch, is linked to blood clots in the legs and lungs.

The presence of estrogen is also linked to other clotting problems such as strokes and heart attacks.

Donalds said women who use the patch are not verbally told about the change.

Each consumer is given a patient information sheet, Donalds said. They are expected to read this because it has all of the valuable information and risk factors they need to know about.

Donalds said he sees the patch distributed, but birth control pills are more widely used.

The No. 1 form of contraceptive that I see is the pill, Donalds said. But there are women who use the patch.

Smoking increases the chance for blood clots, stroke and heart attack while on any form of hormonal birth control, including the patch and the pill, Donalds said.

Smoking does increase your chances beyond the initial risk, Donalds said. The best thing is to not smoke and see your doctor regularly if you are on birth control pills or the patch.

Dr. Kelly Bennett, medical director for Texas Tech Student Health Services, said some women have risk factors they are screened for before taking hormonal contraceptives.

Before we even prescribe the pill or patch, we screen our patients to make sure they will not have increased risk of stroke, clotting or heart attack, she said.

If a patient has a risk factor, they will not be put on a hormonal contraceptive.

These risks include high blood pressure, a family history of blood clots, migraines involving vision impairments such as auras and depression, Bennett said.

Pregnancy actually increases your chance of clotting more than birth control, Bennett said, so those preventing unwanted pregnancy with the use of hormonal contraceptives are being smart.

Those on the pill have a one in 50,000 chance of having clotting complications, compared to one in 25,000 for those on the patch, but women who are pregnant have a one in 10,000 chance, Bennett said.

Yes, the patch increases your chance of clotting, but if you are sexually active and using hormonal contraceptives to prevent a pregnancy, then you are better off, she said.

According to Ortho-Evra’s Web site, most side effects of the patch happen infrequently.

The hormones from the patch applied to the skin enter the bloodstream differently causing 60 percent more exposure to estrogen, according to the Web site.

According to a study conducted by the Journal of the American Medical Association, using oral contraceptives led to 4.1 strokes per 100,000 women.

According to Ortho-Evra’s Web site, most side effects of the patch are not serious.

However, more than 17 women using the Ortho-Evra patch have died of blood clots since the patch was approved in 2001, according to the FDA’s Web site.

Donalds said all women should carefully read the packaging and information sheets that come with their method of birth control.

If you’re not sure about something, read the packaging and talk to your doctor, he said.

According to the FDA’s Web site, not smoking and leading a heart-healthy life can decrease the chance of blood-clot-related problems, but the best thing to do is talk to a doctor about your current method of birth control or carefully decide which method is best.