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7 Benefits Of Birth Control, Besides Safer Sex
Birth control has one famously great benefit: no pregnancies. (OK, it's not a 100 percent guarantee, but it's pretty close.) Some women find that, along with the being able to have sex and not worry about getting pregnant, they may also have to deal with extra pounds, mood swings, or other unwanted side effects. These irritations can be worth it when they aren't severe, and taking a look at the possible benefits of birth control can make you even happier to be taking the pill.
When you get your period, the lining of your uterus sheds and the hormones increase or decrease depending on the time point of your cycle. The hormone dance is crucial to your period, your fertility, and your overall health, which is why there can be benefits to taking hormonal birth control. The hormones in birth control can assist in balancing your hormones to the benefit of your body, leading to benefits like cancer reduction or smoother skin.
There are reasons certain women tend to react differently to each type of contraception, and there’s one out there that’s best for you. Pay attention to your body and the signals it gives, and talk to your doctor to determine the right choice for you. Hopefully the below points can help you ascertain if there are benefits to taking birth control that interest you.
1It Can Regulate Your Period
Web MD notes that a hormonal birth control can regulate your period. That's because your period is dependent on the right amount of hormones to appear on time every month, and the hormones provided in your birth control assist your body in regulating that schedule.
2It Can Lighten Your Period
According to the Association of Reproductive Health Professionals, birth control can cause a lighter period, because your body is acclimating to the use of the hormones and goes through withdrawal bleeding.
3It Can Reduce Risk Of Anemia
Healthline notes that lighter periods mean protection from anemia, or low blood iron, which is common among young women and can cause fatigue and muscle aches. If you've been struggling with low iron anemia, talk to your doctor about your birth control options.
4It Can Help Control PCOS And Endometriosis
The Center For Young Women's Health noted that birth control can alleviate some of the symptoms of PCOS and endometriosis — two common infertility-related conditions —by regulating a woman's sex hormones.
5It Can Smooth Your Skin
According to Teen Vogue, combination contraception lowers your body’s levels of testosterone, which is good since the testosterone hormone is the culprit behind some kinds of acne breakouts as well as excess body hair growth. Everyday Health also notes that birth control hormones also lower the body's production of sebum, which is the gunky stuff that clogs your skin. It's important to note, however, that some birth control methods make your skin worse, so you should pay attention when you start taking birth control.
6It Can Lower Your Risk Of Certain Cancers
The American Cancer Society notes that woman's risk of ovarian cancer is reduced by 50 percent after taking the pill for five years. And that's not all. Newsweek reported that for every five years that a woman takes birth control pills, her risk of endometrial cancer can reduce by 25 percent. This benefit continued more than 30 years after the women stopped taking the pill. Some research, however, indicates a slight increase in risk for breast and cervical cancers with hormonal birth control use, so talk with your doctor about your health profile to make the best choice for you.
7It Can Relieve Period Cramps
Some women suffer from period cramps that feel like great iron jaws chomping on our uterus. No fun. Time reported on a large study that showed oral contraception can greatly reduce period pain, including bloating and cramps. This could be great news for women who miss work or school while curled up in a ball every month.
