Four Alternative Uses for Birth Control

Pregnancy is the most common reason women use birth control, but there are several reasons to use contraceptives that have nothing to do with a need to avoid an unwanted pregnancy. 

Board-certified OB/GYN Lillian Schapiro, and our team of board-certified nurse practitioners at Ideal Gynecology in Atlanta and McDonough, Georgia, are devoted to providing exceptional care to women and girls throughout all phases of life. Hormonal birth control is an effective way to prevent unwanted pregnancies, but did you know that birth control offers benefits beyond pregnancy prevention? 

In this post, we discuss four benefits of hormonal birth control that you may not know about. If you're interested in discussing birth control, whether for pregnancy prevention, or for other reasons, we're here to answer your questions.

Improves painful periods

For many women, their periods come and go without much fuss. However, some women experience incredibly painful periods that throw a wrench in their daily lives each month. Known medically as dysmenorrhea, more than half of women experience some pain during their period. If you have painful periods, they may cause you to miss work or school or make it nearly impossible to take care of your normal daily responsibilities. 

Hormonal birth control can help regulate your menstrual cycle and reduce or eliminate pain. Whether or not you're sexually active, hormonal birth control is a safe and effective way to treat painful periods.

Regulates menstrual cycle

Birth control can help balance out hormonal fluctuations that can happen when you have irregular periods. Hormonal birth control can make your periods more consistent.

Hormonal contraceptives can also treat polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Typically your body releases at least one egg each cycle. With PCOS, mature eggs aren't released and instead remain in the ovaries. Because hormonal imbalance is at the root of PCOS, birth control is an effective way to regulate your hormone levels so that your body releases an egg on time each month, and you have a regular menstrual cycle. 

Can help you get through perimenopause

You don't have to be at the peak of your childbearing years to benefit from contraceptives. Taking birth control as your ovaries wind down their own hormone production can make the transition smoother. 

Hormonal birth control helps keep your hormone levels balanced, which reduces typical symptoms of menopause such as hot flashes, night sweats, and mood swings. Birth control can help you feel like yourself and function well as your body makes the journey through menopause. 

Treats heavy periods

Some women experience bleeding that is quite heavy or lasts longer than seven days. This can cause a major disruption to your daily life. Known as menorrhagia, you’re considered to have heavy periods when you soak through a tampon or pad in two hours or less. This type of heavy bleeding can interfere with your ability to lead your day normally. Hormonal contraceptives contain a progesterone-like hormone that makes the lining of the uterus thinner, resulting in lighter periods.

The team at Ideal Gynecology provides the support and guidance when you need it most. If you have questions or want to discuss contraceptives, give us a call to schedule a visit with one of our providers.