{"id":183810,"date":"2025-06-14T13:08:13","date_gmt":"2025-06-14T13:08:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/183810\/"},"modified":"2025-06-14T13:08:13","modified_gmt":"2025-06-14T13:08:13","slug":"experts-flag-new-agonising-risk-of-most-popular-contraceptive-after-another-type-is-linked-to-brain-tumours","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/183810\/","title":{"rendered":"Experts flag new agonising risk of most popular contraceptive – after another type is linked to brain tumours"},"content":{"rendered":"

Millions of women on the Pill may face a higher risk of painful infections that can cause infertility or life-threatening pregnancy complications, experts warn.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The warning comes just weeks after it emerged that hundreds of women in the UK are considering legal action amid fears contraceptive injections may raise the risk of brain tumours five-fold.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Now, experts are sounding the alarm over other hormonal contraceptives, which have been shown to contribute to chronic urinary tract infections (UTIs) and bacterial vaginosis (BV).<\/p>\n

Dr Melanie Davis-Hall, medical director at The Lowdown and an NHS<\/a> GP, said: ‘The potential link between these conditions and hormonal contraception deserves more attention.<\/p>\n

‘Recurrent UTIs and BV can seriously affect a person’s quality of life.<\/p>\n

‘These aren’t just minor annoyances\u2014they cause pain and can lead to complications like kidney infections or pelvic inflammatory disease.’\u00a0<\/p>\n

A recent US study of more than 24,500 women found those using prescribed contraceptives were significantly more likely to develop a UTI.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The injection was linked to a two-fold increase in UTIs, whilst The Pill\u2014which contains hormones oestrogen and progesterone\u2014was associated with a 10 per cent spike.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"Millions <\/p>\n

Millions of women on the Pill may face a higher risk of painful infections that can cause infertility or life-threatening pregnancy complications, experts warn\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"The <\/p>\n

The warning comes just weeks after it emerged that hundreds of women in the UK are considering legal action amid fears contraceptive injections may raise the risk of brain tumours<\/p>\n

Despite concerns, health experts urged women taking hormonal contraception not to suddenly stop without having another method in place.\u00a0<\/p>\n

A urinary tract infection (UTI) is a common but agonising condition that affects the bladder, urethra and sometimes the kidneys.\u00a0<\/p>\n

It’s typically treated with a short course of antibiotics.<\/p>\n

Symptoms include a burning sensation while urinating\u2014known as dysuria\u2014frequent or urgent need to go, and lower abdominal pain.\u00a0<\/p>\n

According to the NHS, some people may also notice blood in their urine, develop a high temperature or feel hot and shivery.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Others may have an unusually low temperature, below 36C.<\/p>\n

Bacterial vaginosis (BV), meanwhile, is a common cause of abnormal vaginal discharge and can raise the risk of sexually transmitted infections, including chlamydia.<\/p>\n

Dr Melanie Davis-Hall, an NHS GP and medical director at The Lowdown, says she regularly sees women with recurrent infections while using certain hormonal contraceptives. <\/p>\n

\"About <\/p>\n

About half of all UK women will have at least one UTI at some point. This can affect the bladder (known as cystitis), urethra (the tube transporting urine out of the body) or kidneys (Stock Image)<\/p>\n

\"The <\/p>\n

The proportion of women taking oral contraceptives has fallen by more than two-thirds, from 420,600 in 2012\/13 to 126,400 in 2022\/23, according to the NHS data.\u00a0Around 555,400 women turned to the health service’s sexual and reproductive health services in 2022\/23\u2014equivalent to four per cent of 13 to 54-year-olds<\/p>\n

In some cases, symptoms ease significantly after switching contraceptive methods\u2014or stopping them altogether.<\/p>\n

One woman, who asked not to be named, told MailOnline she suffered from monthly bouts of thrush and UTIs for more than five years while taking the Pill.<\/p>\n

Since August last year, the 24-year-old teacher from Oxford experienced near-daily symptoms, including a stinging sensation when passing urine or during sex, and a frequent, urgent need to go.<\/p>\n

Despite trying everything from over-the-counter remedies to repeated courses of antibiotics, nothing brought lasting relief.<\/p>\n

‘Having constant thrush and UTIs has completely knocked my confidence\u2014especially around being intimate,’ she said. ‘It’s really upsetting to feel unattractive, even with a really understanding partner.’<\/p>\n

She added that limited access to bathrooms during the school day often made her symptoms worse.<\/p>\n

‘I’m always thinking about where the nearest toilet is when I’m out in public. It’s draining, having to plan around it all the time.’<\/p>\n

Since coming off the Pill in April for fertility reasons, her symptoms have almost entirely cleared\u2014and she hasn’t had a single UTI.<\/p>\n

\"There <\/p>\n

There are about 10,000 prescriptions for the contraceptive injection (known medically as medroxyprogesterone acetate) every month, according to NHS data\u00a0<\/p>\n

‘I feel disappointed that I didn’t know all the facts, and that the dots weren’t joined by my healthcare provider,’ she said.<\/p>\n

Commenting on the large number of women reporting recurrent UTIs, Dr Davis-Hall said: ‘Whilst there isn’t robust clinical evidence yet to definitively confirm that the Pill causes UTIs, there are plausible biological mechanisms.<\/p>\n

‘The Pill can alter the balance of hormones in the body\u2014particularly oestrogen and progesterone\u2014which may impact the vaginal microbiome, the ecosystem of bacteria that protects against infections like BV and UTIs.’<\/p>\n

Hormonal changes can also affect the vaginal and urethral linings, which may influence susceptibility to infection.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Vaginal dryness is a well-known side effect of progestogens\u2014synthetic hormones used in many contraceptives\u2014and this in turn increases the risk of UTIs.<\/p>\n

‘Contraceptives containing certain progestogens may thin the vaginal lining or affect cervical mucus in ways that increase the risk of other infections like BV,’ she added.<\/p>\n

Common symptoms of BV include unusual vaginal discharge\u2014often with a strong, unpleasant odour, particularly after sex\u2014and changes in the colour and consistency of discharge.\u00a0<\/p>\n

According to the NHS, around half of women with BV experience no symptoms at all.<\/p>\n

\"The <\/p>\n

The Pill has also been linked to an increased stroke risk, with researchers saying that women on the combined pill are three times more likely to suffer a sudden, unexplained stroke\u00a0<\/p>\n

Whilst the condition is not usually serious and can often be treated with antibiotics, in extreme cases it can lead to pelvic inflammatory disease (PID).<\/p>\n

This is a serious infection of the female reproductive system that can cause scarring in the fallopian tubes.<\/p>\n

This can increase the risk of a dangerous ectopic pregnancy\u2014where a foetus grows outside the womb, usually in the fallopian tubes.<\/p>\n

Ectopic pregnancies cannot be saved and can cause life-threatening complications. If left untreated, PID can lead to infertility\u2014a risk that rises with repeated episodes of the disease.<\/p>\n

Dr Davis-Hall said: ‘Recurrent UTIs and BV can cause pain, impact sexual enjoyment or lead to avoidance of intimacy, and contribute to relationship difficulties.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The psychological burden\u2014particularly when symptoms are dismissed or inadequately managed\u2014is also significant.’<\/p>\n

In line with NHS guidance, she advises anyone experiencing recurrent UTIs or BV to speak to their GP to rule out other causes and consider whether their current contraceptive method may be playing a role.<\/p>\n

The warning comes as research published this week suggests that millions of women taking the mini-pill could be at greater risk of developing a brain tumour.<\/p>\n

The mini-pill<\/a>\u2014a daily birth control pill that contains progesterone only\u2014is often prescribed as an alternative to The Pill, which also contains oestrogen.\u00a0<\/p>\n

But scientists now say that women who take the contraceptive for more than five years are more likely to develop a meningioma.\u00a0<\/p>\n

These tumours can be potentially life-threatening, putting pressure on the brain and causing symptoms like seizures, visual disturbances and memory loss as they grow.\u00a0<\/p>\n

However, health experts urged women not to be alarmed, as the overall risk remains very low.<\/p>\n

Experts also pointed out a key limitation of the study\u2014the researchers only looked at one type of mini-pill, desogestrel , and did not asses other progestogens.\u00a0<\/p>\n

That being said, a similar study published last year, found that women using contraceptives jabs were also more likely to suffer potentially-fatal brain tumours.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The injection implicated in the study\u2014known as\u00a0medroxyprogesterone acetate\u2014also contains progestogen and works by stopping ovulation.\u00a0<\/p>\n

When used correctly, this form of long-acting reversible contraception can last up to 13 weeks.\u00a0<\/p>\n

But now a team of scientists from the French National Agency are raising the alarm over the jab’s safety, as they found the number of women developing meningiomas while on the jab was particularly worrying.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Around 400 women from the US have so far joined a class action against Pfizer and other manufacturers of the jab, alleging that they were aware of the risk but failed to adequately warn users or promote safer alternatives.\u00a0<\/p>\n

All the women developed meningiomas after using Depo Provera, the brand name the jab was sold under, for at least a year.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Millions of women on the Pill may face a higher risk of painful infections that can cause infertility…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":183811,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[11],"tags":[92,105,211,16,15],"class_list":{"0":"post-183810","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-health","8":"tag-dailymail","9":"tag-health","10":"tag-nhs","11":"tag-uk","12":"tag-united-kingdom"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@uk\/114681879528283899","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/183810","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=183810"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/183810\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/183811"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=183810"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=183810"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=183810"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}