Popping a pill every day to avoid getting knocked up seems pretty straightforward,  but some ladies prefer using contraceptives like vaginal rings or the patch. However, a new study has shown that these methods might also carry an increased risk of blood clots.

Researchers at the University of Copenhagen scanned through data from more than 1.6 million women, and found was that women who used a vaginal ring had 6.5 times the risk of those not using contraception, and those using a skin patch had eight times the risk. That's pretty significant compared to those on the pill, who only had a three-fold increase in the risk of clots compared to those who weren't using contraception.

As scary as this sounds, doctors assure that it's no reason to freak out; the number of people who actually get clots still remains very small (only six in 10,000 women using an oral contraceptive will have a clot each year). Nevertheless, it's still an important reminder to always be informed of the risks of whichever contraceptive method you choose to use.

via BBC