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London, April 22 (ANI): A U.S. study has found that newer brands of contraceptive pill may increase more than double the risk of dangerous blood clots compared with older types.

It is known that all brands of the pill slightly increase the risk of developing clots, which can lead to deep vein thrombosis in the leg or arm and a potentially fatal blockage in the blood supply to the lungs - a pulmonary embolism.

But the new study, which included data from British general practices, said there is more than double the risk depending on the type of the hormone progestogen used in the product, reports the Daily Mail.

For example, a study from Boston University School of Medicine found a twofold increased risk in non-fatal blood clots in women taking a drospirenone-containing Pill - such as Yasmin - compared with women using a levonorgestrel-based Pill - Microgynon.

In another analysis, using GP data from the UK, the study also found a considerably increased risk for women taking drospirenone-containing brands compared with those using levonorgestrel-containing pills - they reported 23 cases per 100,000 women, compared with 9 for those using older pills.

The researchers said that levonorgestrel-containing pills were ‘a safer choice’.

However, others dispute the findings saying an international panel of experts found a similarly low level of risk of developing blood clots from any type of Pill.

The panel says having a family history of blood clots, being overweight and smoking raise the risk, irrespective of the Pill brand.

The study was published in the British Medical Journal. (ANI)