Benefits and Side Effects of Women’s Contraceptive Pills

Birth control pills are among the most effective and clinically proven safe methods of contraception. It is best though however to first talk to your health care provider to see if pills are suitable for you. Better understanding of how pills work and how it affects your body can lead can help you use it effectively.

Birth control pills have a number of benefits to women aside from its main purpose of contraception. There are many women taking pills solely for its medical benefits and not really for contraception. Oral birth control pills help regulate women’s menstrual cycle and causes them to have lighter periods, too. Furthermore, lighter periods mean decreased menstrual cramps. You can forget about going to a dermatologist because pills can improve acne as well. Though it can take a few months, hormones from most types of contraceptive pills stop acne before it even forms. Women taking pills are also less prone to anemia because contraceptive pills cause less menstrual bleeding. Women also get less risk of getting endometrial or ovarian cancer, and cysts as well. Even pregnancies that occur outside the uterus are prevented.

Beware of some side effects though that may occur with using pills. Spotting and nausea are common especially within the first days or weeks of taking pills. Stress at school or at work, little sleep, and sinus infections can cause headaches to some women taking pills. Mood swings also happen every now and then and are common, too. Lastly, pills may cause some to gain weight and others, to lose weight. However most stay exactly the same. All of these are normal effects of birth control pills and should not cause alarm or panic.