Birth control pills may block blood flow to brain

Washington: Turns out, birth control pills increase the risk of ischemic strokes which are usually caused by a blood clot that blocks or plugs a blood vessel in the brain. This keeps blood from flowing to the brain.

According to stroke specialists at the Loyola University, oral contraceptives increase the risk of ischemic stroke, but this risk is very small among women who do not have other stroke risk factors.

The findings of the study appeared in the journal MedLink Neurology.