Study: Hormone Patch Safer Than Pill

Barbara Isaac poses for a portrait Friday, Feb. 23, 2007 in the Bronx borough of New York. Isaac is helping conduct the Kronos Early Estrogen Prevention Study, or KEEPS, which is directly comparing pills and patches. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II) (Frank Franklin Ii - AP)

Ironically, some hormone patches seem to carry greater risks of blood clots than pills when used for birth control. The FDA recently required new warnings on one such contraceptive patch _ Ortho-McNeil Pharmaceutical's Ortho Evra.

Also, women should tell their doctors about any other drugs, vitamins or supplements they are taking. The herbal supplement St. John's wort can decrease blood-estrogen levels, undermining the relief any hormone treatment can give. So can certain antibiotics and other drugs.

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On the Net:

Hormone study: http://www.keepstudy.org/

FDA: http://www.fda.gov/womens/

FDA Hormones: http://www.fda.gov/cder/drug/infopage/estroge

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