Europe-wide restrictions could be introduced on the latest contraceptives because of concerns about side-effects, it was announced yesterday.
The European Medicines Agency is considering the restrictions in the wake of a campaign in France against the so-called third and fourth generation pills.
It said it was acting on an unprecedented request directly from the French government.
Problems have been caused because the new pills have a greater risk of causing dangerous blood clots than older contraceptives.
The European Medicines Agency said the total risk for all kinds of pill remains "very small". Between 20 and 40 out of every 100,000 women using the pills in a year will fall ill.
It has been asked to consider whether the use of the new pills should be restricted to women who cannot use second generation contraceptives.
An agency spokesman said: "The Agency’s Pharmacovigilance Risk Assessment Committee (PRAC) will be reviewing third and fourth-generation combined oral contraceptives to give its opinion on whether the currently available product information provides the best information possible for patients and doctors to take appropriate healthcare decisions.
"Combined oral contraceptives are kept under close monitoring by national pharmacovigilance systems. There is no reason for any woman to stop taking her contraceptive.
"If a woman has concerns, she can discuss this with her doctor."
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