7 Bonus Benefits of Hormonal Birth Control beyond Pregnancy Prevention

Most people focus on the side effects of birth control. Rarely do we hear about the myriad of advantages it holds to your overall health. Along with preventing unwanted pregnancies, birth control has bonus benefits such as reduced acne, reduced risk of cancer, and lighter, less frequent periods.

You can discuss the health benefits of your particular birth control method with your ob-gyn the next time you get birth control in San Antonio.

Before that, here is a compilation of the fantastic benefits you can reap from pills, patches, IUDs, and implants. They

1. Treat Painful Cramps

Around 8 to 12 percent of women disrupt their schedules every month due to period symptoms. Even though it is normal for women to experience discomfort during their menstrual cycle, for some, the pain is debilitating. In extreme cases, it may even trigger vomiting, diarrhea, and fainting.

Birth control options such as hormonal IUDs, shots, implants, NuvaRing, and the pill reduce cramps and period-related pain. They may even prevent ovulation altogether.

2. Regulate Menstrual Cycles

Hormonal birth control methods pills can make your periods lighter and more regular. You can even use them to skip your period entirely. The hormones present in this form of birth control work to stabilize the hormonal fluctuations that are characteristic of menstrual cycles.

Consequently, they can help control painful cramps, irregular periods, and heavy bleeding.

3.     Reduce Your Risk of Some Cancers

Ovarian cancer is among the most severe cancers linked with the female reproductive tract. According to research, taking hormonal pills can reduce your risk of ovarian cancer by up to 40 percent. What's more, the effects persist for more than 20 years after you stop taking the pills.

Hormonal IUDs, shots, and pills can also help prevent endometrial cancer and reduce the risk of cervical and uterine cancer by up to 50 percent.

4. Eliminate Hormonal Acne

Hormonal acne outbreaks can significantly affect your self-esteem. Hormonal birth control methods like the pill and the ring can tame acne by minimizing the hormonal fluctuations that trigger them. Some women even take combined oral contraceptives for their effectiveness in banishing spots and scars.

Any birth control option that contains estrogen can be used for this purpose.

5. Manage Endometriosis

When the uterine cells spread to other parts of the abdomen and bleed, they may lead to endometriosis. This may happen in about 4 in every 10 women and can result in intense pelvic pain, painful sex, lower backache, and infertility.

Birth control methods can prevent the development of endometrial cells by eliminating menstruation. Endometriosis is untreatable. Nonetheless, the pill, ring, or IUD can relieve symptoms or prevent the need for surgery.

6. Reduce Your Risk of Anemia

For some women, heavy bleeding during menstruation can expose them to the risk of developing anemia. As the condition reduces the number of red blood cells available to circulate oxygen through your body, you may suffer from extreme weakness and fatigue.

Hormonal birth control methods can reduce your risk of period-related anemia by allowing you to skip your period.

7. Relieve PMS Symptoms 

Hormonal fluctuations can cause a mix of emotional and physical symptoms in the days leading up to your period. These symptoms are generally referred to as premenstrual syndrome (PMS). Hormonal birth control methods can relieve these symptoms by preventing the fluctuations that cause them or stopping ovulation.

They can also alleviate menstrual migraines, which are linked to a drop in estrogen levels.

Final Thoughts

Hormonal birth control can improve your quality of life. However, it is not everyone. It can up the risk of blood clots for women who are over 35 and smoke.

If you wish to try hormonal birth control, talk to the birth control specialists at Bluebonnet OB/GYN in San Antonio. They will help you weigh the benefits and demerits of the methods available to you.