PP Episode #150 - Hormonal Birth Control & Blood Clots with David Rowan

Many women don’t realize how serious the side effects of hormonal birth control can be. Unfortunately, David Rowan learned the hard way when he lost his daughter after she experienced a Massive Pulmonary Embolism caused her birth control pill. Take a listen to learn more!

David Rowan is a retired Engineer in Houston, Texas, who, along with his wife, co-founded the Alexandra L. Rowan Foundation in honor of his daughter, Alex, who died from a Massive Pulmonary Embolism (MPE) caused by her birth control pill. Through his foundation, he raises awareness about MPE and recently published a biography of Alex called My Beautiful Memory that uses much of her journal entries and addresses the death and injury rates from hormonal birth control usage with proposals for reducing the losses.

In this episode, we talk about Alex’s life before her MPE, the obstacles which prevent many women from making informed decisions about hormonal birth control, the shocking death rate associated with side effects of hormonal birth control, what parents can do to help their daughters make informed decisions, the simple test that every woman should take before starting hormonal birth control, and so much more!

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Mentioned in this episode:

David’s daughter, Alex’s journey in the lead up to her MPE
The influence of Alex’s story on the work done through the Foundation
Why many women can’t make informed decisions about hormonal birth control
The annual death rate associated with hormonal birth control
How the medical industry obscures the risks of using hormonal birth control
Why parents need to increase their awareness of these risks
The danger of the pill being seen as a safe method of contraception
How taking a simple test before going on the pill can help you make a more informed decision
The resistance David has encountered in trying to establish awareness seminars for doctors
How ongoing monitoring after a prescription could benefit women
How the Foundation is helping young women and raising awareness about the risks of hormonal birth control
Other serious side effects which have been linked to hormonal birth control