As the new college year gets underway, the Rowan Foundation is sharing guidance to help students make informed decisions about hormonal and nonhormonal birth control options.
Resources encourage students to consider their health history, personal needs, and potential risks when choosing contraception
After experiencing blood clots in my lungs linked to hormonal contraception, I know how important it is for young women to receive clear information about the benefits and risks of birth control.”
HOUSTON, TX, UNITED STATES, August 25, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- As the new college year gets underway, the Rowan Foundation is sharing back-to-campus guidance to help students make informed decisions about birth control.— Aynslee Roberts, recent college graduate and blood clot survivor
Choosing birth control involves more than comparing effectiveness. A woman’s personal and family health history, future pregnancy plans, lifestyle, and preferences can all help determine which method is right for her.
“For many young women, college is the first time they make healthcare decisions more independently,” said Vian Nguyen, MD, FACOG, an OB/GYN at the University of Houston and a medical advisor to the Rowan Foundation. “A thoughtful conversation about birth control should cover what a student wants from her method, her health history, possible side effects, and any risks she should understand before making a choice.”
Understanding Hormonal and Nonhormonal Options
The birth control pill is one of the most common forms of contraception and has been used safely and effectively by millions of women for decades. However, some hormonal birth control methods, including the combined pill, patch, and ring, can increase a woman’s risk for blood clots. Students considering these options should discuss their personal and family health history with a healthcare provider and learn the signs and symptoms of a blood clot.
Possible symptoms of a blood clot in the leg or arm include unexplained swelling, pain, warmth, or skin discoloration. Difficulty breathing, chest pain, coughing up blood, or a faster-than-normal heartbeat may signal a clot in the lungs and require immediate medical attention.
“After experiencing multiple blood clots in my lungs linked to hormonal contraception, I understand how important it is for young women to receive clear information about the benefits and risks of birth control,” said Aynslee Roberts, a recent college graduate and member of the Rowan Foundation’s Patient and Community Advisory Group. “Learning about risk is not meant to create fear. It gives women the information they need to ask questions, recognize possible symptoms, and make choices that feel right for them.”
The Foundation encourages students to talk openly with a healthcare provider about their contraception options, including whether their personal or family health history may affect those choices. The best method for any woman is one that is safe, meets her individual needs, and can be used comfortably and consistently.
The Rowan Foundation’s back-to-campus resources include information about contraception options, questions to discuss with a healthcare provider, and tools that can help women assess their potential clotting risks.
Additional information about the Foundation and its work in women’s health and blood clot awareness is available at alexrowanfoundation.org.
About the Rowan Foundation
The Rowan Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing education and awareness about blood clot risks, particularly as they relate to women’s health. The Foundation empowers women with knowledge about blood clot prevention, symptoms, and risk factors so they can make informed healthcare decisions.
Lisa Fullam
Rowan Foundation
Lisa4LFA@outlook.com
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