Many people believe that birth control pills, which in effect act as regulators of hormones, only protect from unwanted pregnancy. In fact, they are capable of much more!
Are you complaining about the abundance of pimples on your chin? Hormones are guilty. Just had breakfast but the desire to eat does not disappear? Hormones are guilty. Can not hold back tears when the screen about a movie about homeless animals? Hormones are guilty. It’s time to get acquainted with hormonal contraceptives. It turns out that they can be useful, and it’s not about protection.
What benefits do birth control pills have?
- Reduction of pain syndrome in endometriosis. A tissue similar to the endometrium that forms inside the uterus and is rejected during menstruation grows outside the uterus: in the ovaries, intestine, or bladder. This surplus provokes inflammation, the formation of scars, which, in turn, causes seizures of pain. According to gynecologists taking contraceptives can reduce pain during PMS, as well as the number of formations inside the uterus and, accordingly, rejection. And for those who suffer from endometriosis, the pills will help to reduce the migration and proliferation of endometrial cells by the body. All this will save you from painful pains;
- Getting rid of excess blood loss. The number of monthly blood discharges is individual. However, according to the specialists of the Cleveland Clinic, the volume from several tablespoons to 80 ml (about one-third of a glass) is considered normal. If the volume exceeds the norm, the risk of anemia increases, and that is fraught with a decline in strength and weakness. Thanks to the contraceptive pill, the thickened inner layer of the uterus becomes smaller, and with it, the volume of menstruation is normalized;
- Prophylaxis of cancer. According to a study published in the journal Best Practices and Clinical Studies in Obstetrics and Gynecology, the use of birth control pills for 15 years can reduce the risk of cancer of the ovaries by 50%, and the cancer of the uterus body – by 70%. According to doctors, prevention of ovarian cancer is possible with the cessation of ovulation. Prevention of uterine cancer occurs on the same principle: the pills reduce the inner layer of the uterus, the growth of tissue decreases, thus reducing the risk of the disease. BUT! It is important to note: oral contraceptives may increase the risk of developing breast cancer and cervical cancer due to elevated estrogen levels;
- Saving on cosmetic means for your skin. Birth control pills beauty benefits for skin are very relevant. Contraceptives may help in the fight against acne and increased vegetation on the chin. The cause of these two manifestations lies in the excess of one kind of androgens – the hormone of testosterone. When you take birth control pills, the liver synthesizes a protein that does not allow testosterone to carry blood to the body, thereby gradually losing acne and unwanted hair;
- Protection against pelvic inflammatory disease. Inflammatory diseases of pelvic organs begin to torment the woman if she has a sexually transmitted infection of female genital organs. If the disease is not treated, then this can lead to chronic pelvic pain and infertility. Contraceptive pills, of course, do not protect against STDs but contribute to the thickening of the cervical mucus, which makes it difficult for infectious agents to enter the upper genital tract: uterus, fallopian tubes, ovaries;
- Assistance in the syndrome of polycystic ovaries. As a rule, at least one egg ripens in the female body during each cycle. But in the syndrome of polycystic ovaries, mature eggs do not go outside but remain where they formed, which leads to infertility. Other symptoms of the disease include irregular periods and excessive growth of unwanted hair because of the hormonal imbalance. Birth control pills can resolve it, after which the body starts producing eggs in time, and the menstrual cycle is normalized;
- A smooth transition from perimenopause. Did you hear about benefits of birth control pills after 40 and during menopause? Usually, when it comes to preventing pregnancy, we mean women of childbearing age. But hormonal contraceptives can be useful to those who enter the menopause. The tablets allow you to maintain a balanced level of hormones and control some symptoms of menopause. Tides and increased sweating at night will become much less common;
- Protection against seasonal flu epidemics. According to a new study published in the American Journal of Physiology, women taking oral contraceptives with estrogen are more reliably protected against the influenza virus. The researchers found that estrogen in women taking such pills reduced the division of infected cells by about 1000-fold compared to cells that were not exposed to estrogen. However, we do not encourage everyone to start taking oral contraceptives for this reason;
- Oral contraceptives improve the condition of the hair. Most women note the benefits of birth control pills for hair – reduced fat content and improved hair condition due to the intake of properly selected COCs. Hair becomes softer, healthier and acquires a natural sheen thanks to the normalization of the sebaceous glands. In this case, the increase in hair growth on the face and body is not observed. Hormonal contraceptives with anti-androgenic properties, on the contrary, help to reduce hair growth in uncharacteristic areas for women: above the upper lip, the chin, and also on the chest and abdomen. Relevant improvements are observed after only 6 months of using the drugs;
- COCs help to normalize weight. Fear of gaining extra pounds is the most popular myth that makes a woman refuse to take contraceptives. Indeed, the first hormonal tablets, which appeared in the 60-70s of the last century, had a lot of side effects, because they contained too high doses of hormones. The first contraceptives had the ability to retain fluid in the body, which led to swelling and, accordingly, weight gain. However, modern birth control pills, those doses and types of hormones that they contain, have nothing to do with fluid retention. Moreover, recent studies prove that the use of COCs on the contrary can reduce weight, especially in those women who gain weight on the eve of the cycle.
Disputes of women around contraceptive pills, probably, will never stop: too many women consider any hormones an absolute evil. Of course, this is not the case, and millions of women around the world are successfully taking COCs for many years. Nevertheless, you should understand that this is primarily a medicine – you cannot start taking pills without consulting a doctor, and taking such tablets you must strictly follow the rules of admission. If you treat your health with all responsibility, then hormonal contraceptives can become your companion for many years.