How Birth Control is More Than Just a Contraceptive

Did you know that 58% of women, who take the pill, are using it for more than just contraceptive purposes? And did you know 14% of women who use birth control are using it solely to treat conditions and not for contraceptive purposes whatsoever?

Females are also prescribed birth control to help with a handful of medical conditions, typically affected by hormones and hormonal regulation. Some of these conditions include heavy or irregular menstrual periods, acne and PMS. Birth control can also be used to treat conditions that are often found in those with infertility issues, such as PCOS (poly-cystic ovarian syndrome), and endometriosis. Hormonal birth control can be used as a form of hormone replacement therapy, for woman who are premenopausal.

Menstrual Cycle Conditions

For woman who are experiencing heavy or painful menstrual cycles, and over the counter medications just aren’t helping, birth control is a good option to help regulate bleeding and pain. Normally, your uterine lining produces “prostaglandins” when menstruating, which are chemicals that cause your uterus to contract, causing pain and cramps. When you take an oral birth control, the hormones will cause your uterine lining to be thinner, making your uterus produce less prostaglandin, which lessens the amount of cramping one may experience. Also, by having a thinner uterine lining, a lighter menstrual cycle should occur as well, potentially preventing menstrual caused anemia.

PMS and Birth Control

Birth control can also be helpful for women who suffer from PMS. The reason woman typically experience PMS is because levels of progesterone and estrogen change when the body is preparing for menstruation. Taking oral birth control can help hormonal levels stay more stable, preventing or easing the symptoms of PMS, since your hormones do not change as drastically.

Menopause and Birth Control

Woman that are perimenopausal may use birth control to help with managing the symptoms and transition into menopause. When one is in perimenopause, their estrogen levels rise and fall unevenly, which can cause unwanted side effects, such as hot flashes, sleep problems, and lengthened or shortened menstrual cycles. Birth control may be prescribed to help with these side effects, since it can stabilize and control the hormones in the body, eliminating hormonal fluctuations that females normally experience in perimenopause.

Infertility related Conditions

Birth control can also be used to help regulate some infertility related conditions, such as endometriosis and PCOS.

Out of 10 woman, eight with endometriosis use a form of hormonal birth control to help with controlling the pain and growth of endometriosis, whether that be through oral birth control pills, the depo shot, or a hormonal IUD. Endometriosis is a condition when a woman’s uterine lining tissue (endometrial tissue) grows outside of the uterus. This tissue still will “sluff off” and bleed during a female’s menstrual cycle, despite being outside of the uterus, causing one to typically have abdominal pain and cramping.

By taking hormonal birth control, the hormones cause your uterine lining to be thinner and, with time, can help prevent further growth of endometriosis. While birth control is not a cure for endometriosis, if used continuously, it can help with the pain and bleeding, while potentially preventing endometriosis from spreading further.

PCOS (Poly cystic ovarian syndrome) is a reproductive hormonal imbalance disorder that affects 1 out of every 10 women. PCOS can cause excess hair growth, acne, weight gain, ovarian cysts, irregular periods, can stop one from ovulating, and is one of the leading causes of infertility in woman.

When one has PCOS, typically the body creates too much of one reproductive hormone (most commonly testosterone), causing the associated issues. Oral hormonal birth control is the number one treatment prescribed for those with PCOS who are not currently trying to conceive. By taking hormonal birth control, a woman’s hormonal balance may be restored, which can result in less hair growth, regulated periods, reduce acne, and reduce quantity of ovarian cysts one experiences.

Birth Control and Acne

Acne is a result of excess production of sebum, which is an oil that is made by glands in your skin. Sebum, along with skin cells, can clog pores. This causes bacteria to grow, contributing to acne. A group of hormones called androgens – these include testosterone – can stimulate your skin to produce sebum.

Taking birth control that contain estrogen and progesterone has been said to lower the amount of androgens in your body, resulting in less sebum production, which in turn causes less severe acne.

Other Medical Benefits

Taking birth control has also been proven to help lower risk for developing some forms of cancer, such as endometrial cancer and ovarian cancer. The American Cancer Society says the risk of developing ovarian cancer is reduced by 50%, when taking oral contraceptives for 5 years or more. Taking hormonal birth control also reduces one’s chance of developing endometrial cancer, and those benefits can last up to 10 years after stopping use.

Birth Control Options and Types of Hormonal Birth Control

Birth Control Pills

Oral birth control is taken orally as a pill, daily. There are several different oral birth controls, that vary in hormonal makeup. The most commonly prescribed versions of oral birth control are a combination of Estrogen and Progestin. Typically, one takes 21 days of these hormone combination pills and 7 days of a placebo pill or a “sugar pill” used to trigger a female’s menstrual cycle. The other version of oral birth control that is used is a Progestin only birth control. This version of the pill is generally used in woman who have negative side effects to estrogen or cannot have estrogen. Typically, one takes these pills continuously, for 28 day cycles, and all 28 pills contain hormones in them.

Birth Control Pill Alternatives Listed Below

If you don’t want to take a pill daily though, there are several other hormonal birth controls on the market.

The Depo-shot

An injectable version of hormonal birth control, called the Depo-shot, can be used as well. The Depo-shot is injected into the arm or buttock every 3 months. This shot is composed of a synthetic hormone that mimics progesterone that is naturally made in the body. Because the shot is only progestin based, woman who cannot use or have estrogen can still use this form of hormonal birth control.

Birth Control Patch

A patch that contains estrogen and progestin can be worn as well. The way these patches work is one is applied weekly, every week for 3 weeks. On the 4th week, no patch is worn, and the female then experiences her menstrual period.

Nuvaring

A vaginal ring (Nuvaring) that contain estrogen and progestin is another available option. This flexible plastic ring is inserted in the vagina for a 3-week time period, over which the vaginal tissues absorb the hormones. The ring is then removed and no ring is worn for a week, in which the female will then experience her menstrual cycle.

Arm Implant Birth Control

A single rod implant in the upper arm is a longer term hormonal birth control option, as it is effective for 3 years. This rod is progestin only, and works when the tissues in arm slowly absorb the progestin over time. While this is effective for up to 3 years, this implant can be removed sooner if wanted or needed. Menstrual bleeding may be unpredictable though, when using this form of birth control.

Intra Uterine Device (IUD)

Another longer-term hormonal birth control option is an IUD (intra uterine device) implant. These devices use the hormone Levonorgestrel, and are implanted by a doctor into the uterus. IUD’s release this Levonorgestrel hormone over time and, depending on the variation, can be effective for 3-5 years.

Bottom Line

While birth control can be used for contraception purposes, it is also a great tool for treating and helping with other conditions. There are many hormonal birth controls available as of now. If you have endometriosis, PCOS, heavy or irregular periods, PMS, or are perimenopausal, hormonal birth control could be an option for you.