When it comes to birth control, oral contraception (aka “the pill”) is a widely used favorite among American women. But it’s also a favorite of gynecologists everywhere for uses that have little to do with preventing pregnancy. Because the birth control pill replicates the hormones progestin and estrogen that occur naturally in women’s’ bodies, gynecologists often prescribe the pill to effectively ease a wide range of women’s health conditions that are related to hormones.
Here are four reasons why your gynecologist might recommend the pill for you:
- Heavy or Irregular Periods: If you have periods that are extremely heavy or last longer than seven days, you may have abnormally heavy periods, a condition called mennorhagia. Some forms of the pill can help reduce your monthly periods. The pill also greatly helps women who have irregular periods have a predictable menstrual cycle.
- Endometriosis: This condition occurs when noncancerous growths occur outside of the uterus, which can cause extremely painful periods that may also be accompanied by back pain and stomach problems. Oral contraceptives can help slow the production of hormones that aggravate endometriosis. Learn more about endometriosis and its treatment by visiting our Knowledge Center.
- Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS): PCOS is a hormonal imbalance that occurs in 5 to 10% of American women. One effect of the imbalanced hormones in PCOS is that a woman’s body is unable fully produce an egg for ovulation. These underdeveloped eggs turn into cysts on the ovaries.
Women with PCOS often have infrequent or absent periods, and may also have pelvic pain. If left undiagnosed, PCOS can cause infertility. In fact, it’s the most common cause of infertility in the US. Not only can the pill help relieve symptoms of PCOS, it plays a vital role in preserving a woman’s fertility.
To prevent infertility, it’s important to catch PCOS early, which is why all young women, sexually active or not, should begin having well woman exams during their teenage years. Learn more. - PMS Symptoms: The birth control pill can greatly reduce symptoms of PMS that some women experience, including cramping, depression, bloating, and fatigue.
As you might have noticed, the usefulness of the birth control pill extends far beyond use as contraception; it also can greatly improve the lives of women suffering from various health conditions.
Our expert gynecologists are here to help women find relief from health conditions like irregular periods, PCOS and others. The birth control pill is just one possible treatment out of many.
Call our Gainesville or Lake City office today for an appointment to better understand what’s going on and learn your options.
