Oral contraceptives used to have much higher doses of estrogen than they do today. These high-dose pills increased the risk of vascular and heart disease, especially among women who smoked. Today, most birth control pills contain 35 micrograms of estrogen or less. However, even the lower-dose pills carry a risk of increasing blood pressure. Talk to your health care provider of the benefits versus risks of birth control pills if you have concerns about your heart health. Also make sure your provider knows if you smoke. Even with the low-dose pill, smoking boosts the risks of serious cardiovascular problems, particularly in women over 35.