Women who take birth control pill are less likely, overall, to die during a given time period than women who do not, according to a new study in the U.K.

Researchers said in a news release, however, that women under 45 years old who recently took the Pill might be slightly more likely to die. But they said that effect disappears after 10 years, and that the benefits when they are older outweigh the risks.

They also found that women who take oral contraceptives were more likely to die from violence or accidents, but they were not able to explain why.

The results were based on following 46,000 women for nearly 40 years.

The authors of the study said women who took the pill had significantly lower rates of death from heart disease and all cancers, as well as being less likely to die from any cause during the study.

The study was published on BMJ.com.