Blood Protein Levels and Birth Control Pills May Increase Blood Clot Risk in Female Astronauts

Article title: Albumin, oral contraceptives and venous thromboembolism risk in astronauts

Authors: Sara R. Zwart, Serena M. Auñón-Chancellor, Martina Heer, M. Mark Melin, Scott M. Smith

From the authors: “We report here evidence of an association between oral contraceptive use and serum albumin, among other factors, which potentially increase the risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE) in astronauts. These findings highlight potential risks to astronaut health while providing potential alternative countermeasures for decreasing VTE risk during spaceflight. These findings also highlight an underrecognized potential mechanism for hypoalbuminemia to increase VTE risk in terrestrial populations.”