Birth Control Pills Linked to Lupus Risk

But doctors differ on degree of peril, saying genetics likely a key player.

Friday, April 10, 2009

By Steven Reinberg
HealthDay Reporter

THURSDAY, April 9 (HealthDay News) -- Women taking birth control pills, especially those who have just started taking them, may face an increased risk of developing the autoimmune disease lupus, a new study suggests.

Although the link between lupus and oral contraceptives has been debated for some time, this new study adds weight to earlier studies -- including the Nurses' Health Study -- that have shown a link between oral contraceptives and lupus, the study authors said.

The findings were published in the April issue of Arthritis Care & Research.

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