Rowan Foundation shares birth control safety guidance for students heading back to campus

The Rowan Foundation is urging college students to weigh health history, side effects and clot risks when choosing contraception as the new school year begins. The guidance highlights questions students should ask a provider and points to resources on its women’s health and blood clot awareness work.

Why it matters: - College can be a first step toward making more independent healthcare decisions for many young women. - Birth control choices can affect more than pregnancy prevention, including clot risk for some hormonal methods. - Clear guidance can help students talk with a provider, spot warning signs and choose a method that fits their health needs.

What happened: - The Rowan Foundation released back-to-campus guidance for college students as the new school year gets underway. - The guidance focuses on helping students make informed decisions about birth control. - The Foundation said students should consider personal and family health history, future pregnancy plans, lifestyle and preferences when selecting contraception. - Vian Nguyen, MD, FACOG, an OB/GYN at the University of Houston and a medical advisor to the Rowan Foundation, said a birth control conversation should cover what a student wants from a method, health history, possible side effects and risks. - The Rowan Foundation said its back-to-campus resources include information about contraception options, questions to discuss with a healthcare provider and tools to assess potential clotting risks. - More information about the Foundation and its work in women’s health and blood clot awareness is available at the Foundation’s website.

The details: - The birth control pill is one of the most common forms of contraception and has been used safely and effectively by millions of women for decades. - Some hormonal birth control methods, including the combined pill, patch and ring, can increase the risk of blood clots. - Students considering those options should discuss their personal and family health history with a healthcare provider. - Symptoms of a blood clot in the leg or arm can include unexplained swelling, pain, warmth or skin discoloration. - Difficulty breathing, chest pain, coughing up blood or a faster-than-normal heartbeat may signal a clot in the lungs and require immediate medical attention. - Aynslee Roberts, a recent college graduate and member of the Rowan Foundation’s Patient and Community Advisory Group, said her own experience with multiple blood clots in her lungs linked to hormonal contraception showed why young women need clear information about benefits and risks. - Roberts said learning about risk is not meant to create fear, but to help women ask questions, recognize symptoms and make choices that feel right for them. - The Foundation encourages students to talk openly with a healthcare provider about contraception options and whether personal or family health history may affect those choices. - The Foundation said the best method is one that is safe, meets individual needs and can be used comfortably and consistently. - The Rowan Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to advancing education and awareness about blood clot risks, especially as they relate to women’s health. - The Foundation says it empowers women with knowledge about blood clot prevention, symptoms and risk factors so they can make informed healthcare decisions.

Between the lines: - The guidance frames contraception as a personal health decision, not just a choice about effectiveness. - The emphasis on clot risk suggests the Foundation wants students to view side effects and medical history as central parts of the selection process. - The message also tries to reduce fear by pairing risk information with practical steps and provider conversations.

What's next: - The Rowan Foundation’s back-to-campus materials are available now for students who want to review contraception options and clot-risk tools before making a decision. - The Foundation is likely to keep using the start of the academic year to push prevention and awareness messaging around women’s health.