Of these, 7,074 were current pill users, and 49,269 had taken them in the past.

Only 10 current pill users suffered major heart disease, and 7 of them were cigarette smokers.

On balance, the average pill user is less likely to get cancer before 55 than the non-user.

The analysis encompassed 54 studies involving more than 150,000 women in 25 countries and found no long-term increase in breast cancer risk among pill users.

Breast cysts are also less common among pill users.

This is another important cause of infertility that is less common among pill users.

Additionally, there is some evidence that long-term contraceptive pill users are less likely to develop endometriosis.

Data on smoking habit and social class were collected at recruitment, at which time 48% of pill users smoked compared with 42% of the controls.

Another cohort study has found that pill users tend to be slightly lighter than non-users.

The risk of ill effects on the heart is greatest among pill users who smoke cigarettes.