An updated labelling for the contraceptive patch Ortho Evra has been approved by the Food & Drug Administration. Ortho Evra, the first skin patch approved for birth control, apparently exposes women to higher levels of estrogen, more than most birth control pills.

"It is a weekly prescription patch that releases ethinyl estradiol (an estrogen hormone) and norelgestromin (a progestin hormone) through the skin into the blood stream. FDA advises women to talk to their doctor or healthcare provider about whether the patch is the right method of birth control for them. More of the article here..."

Exposure to more hormones could mean the higher risk of blood clots and other serious side effects.

Washington Post reports that Kathleen Thoren died last year from blood clots in her brain caused by Ortho Evra.

The new DFA warning is more specific: women who use Ortho Evra will be exposed to about 60% more estrogen, in comparison to other birth control pills which contains only 35 micrograms.

Information which would have been useful in the very beginning.