It Can Happen With Any Type Of Hormonal Birth Control
All these methods work by delivering hormones that prevent pregnancy. These methods include
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birth control pills
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the birth control implant, a small plastic rod thats placed under the skin of the upper arm
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hormonal IUDs
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the birth control shot given by a health care professional
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the vaginal ring that women can place and remove on their own
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the skin patch that contains hormones
Relieve Endometriosis Symptoms And Prevent Ovarian Cysts
Endometriosis is a condition in which the lining of the uterus grows outside of it. This can cause painful periods with painful menstrual cramps. Birth control pills donât cure endometriosis, but they may help you control your pain by stopping your periods.
The pills may also keep ovarian cysts from coming back.
What Are The Treatment Options For Heavy Periods
There are various treatment options available for women who have very heavy periods, including medication, hormonal contraceptives and surgery. Knowing about the advantages and disadvantages of each can help make it easier to choose an appropriate treatment.
If very heavy periods become too much of a problem, treatment can help you to cope better. Different types of medication can reduce the bleeding and related problems. If one medication doesn’t work, it is usually possible to try out other kinds.
Hormonal contraceptives like birth control pills or intrauterine devices affect the menstrual cycle and lessen the amount of bleeding. Any fibroids or polyps that are found to be the cause can be surgically removed. If the effects of heavy periods are particularly bad, other procedures can be considered.
The choice of treatment and best time for treatment will depend on whether a woman is planning to become pregnant. The most effective treatments all limit a woman’s ability to get pregnant either temporarily, like the pill, or permanently, like the surgical removal of the womb .
But as long as the heavy periods arent causing anemia, they dont necessarily need to be treated. Some women learn ways to prepare as well as possible for heavier days. But its a good idea to see a doctor and try to find out what the cause is.
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How And When To Start The Pill
No hard-and-fast rule exists as to when to start the pill. The recommendations on when to start also depend upon what type of pill a woman is taking. There are two main types of birth control pill:
- The combination pill, which contains synthetic versions of the hormones estrogen and progesterone. These hormones prevent ovulation from occurring as well as reducing the likelihood of fertilization and implantation.
- The minipill, which contains a synthetic version of progesterone only. It is also known as the progestin-only pill. The minipill primarily prevents pregnancy by causing the cervical mucus to thicken and the womb lining to thin. This reduces the chances of fertilization and implantation of an egg.
Birth Control Options To Regulate Periods
There is no exact method to choosing a birth control option to regulate periods. Some are better for women with heavy bleeding, and they are specified below, but in general, use of a specific type is generally based on personal preference and what you and your doctor decide is best for your reproductive health.
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It Decreases Acne And Excessive Body Hair Growth
Breakouts are caused by many factors, but changes in your hormones are near the top of the list.
As a result, the birth control pill is great for helping with hormonal acne and body hair growth. According to the American Academy of Dermatology, androgens, male sex hormones, can cause acne by triggering oil glands in the skin. Pills with decreased androgenic activity help decrease the level of androgens in our system, which tends to improve both acne and abnormal hair growth, says Dr. Cepin.
Not all birth control methods are effective for treating acne, however. Combined birth control methods can be used as a treatment for abnormal hair growth , Dr. Gray says. They increase the sex hormone binding globulin, which binds to the testosterone that circulates in a womans bloodstream. This has the effect of decreasing hair growth. While your hair thats already there wont go, it can prevent future hair growth. In fact, according to Dr. Gray, some birth control pills are used specifically for this purpose: combination oral contraceptives, that contain both estrogen and progesterone.
If you want to get rid of a sudden breakout, getting on birth control might not be your go-to there are some simpler options.
Removal Of The Lining Of The Womb
Another option is to remove the lining of the womb . Here the tissue is removed using surgical instruments or destroyed, for instance using laser beams or microwave energy . After the procedure, the woman often stops having periods, or her periods are much lighter. This makes pregnancy unlikely.
But the lining of the womb can grow back. If heavy periods start again as a result, the procedure can be repeated. About 20 out of 100 women have this kind of surgery again within two years.
Endometrial ablation or resection can sometimes be performed as outpatient surgery. Women recover relatively quickly afterwards.
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Some Women Can Improve Breakthrough Bleeding On Their Own
Quitting smoking can help. So can taking birth control pills at the same time each day.
If youre getting continuous hormones with birth control pills or the ring, try scheduling a period every few months. This gives the uterus a chance to shed any built-up lining. It can help reduce irregular spotting and bleeding.
Lower Your Risk Of Some Cancers
Taking birth control pills can raise your odds of getting some cancers but lower the chance youâll get others. Women who have taken birth control have a 30% to 50% lower risk of ovarian cancer than women who have never taken the pill. The longer you take it, the less likely you are to get this type of cancer. The lower risk lasts up to 30 years after you stop taking the pill.
Women who have taken birth control pills also have a lower risk of endometrial cancer than those who havenât. It lowers your odds of getting this type of cancer by at least 30%. The longer you take the pill, the more your risk goes down. This benefit also lasts for many years after you stop taking the pill. Growing evidence also suggests the pill may lower your risk of developing colorectal cancer while you take it.
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Can I Have A Regular Period If I Have Pcos
If you have PCOS, you may experience missing or irregular periods. Its also not uncommon to have long cycles , or very light bleeding when you do have a period.
Despite this, it IS possible to address the underlying causes of PCOS to help regulate your cycle.
Learn more: What is PCOS? Integrative Therapies and Fertility
How To Choose Birth Control For Irregular Periods
Irregular periods are characterized by infrequent or too frequent periods missed periods painful periods or a change in blood flow. Many people treat irregular periods with birth control, but what type of birth control is right for you?
Continue reading to discover various birth control options to regulate periods so that you can have a more predictable menstrual cycle from here on.
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Why Would I Use Very
Very-low-dose birth control pills not only prevent pregnancy but may also have some health benefits. If you’re in your 40s and are still having periods, you could still get pregnant. Very-low-dose birth control pills protect you from pregnancy. They can help regulate your periods if they are heavy or irregular. Very-low-dose birth control pills also may prevent bone loss, which helps protect you from osteoporosis. Another potential benefit is protection from cancer of the ovary and uterus.
The Choice To Use Birth Control Is Yours
We want our readers to have the best, most up-to-date information so they can make decisions that work well for them.
Whether you choose to stay on the Pill or to come off it, supporting your body through optimal nutrition and lifestyle should be high on your list. The better you treat yourself while on the Pill, the easier your transition will be when you do inevitably come off it. Plus, you will already have the positive health measures in place to help you overcome hormonal imbalance symptoms in perimenopause and beyond.
Cibula, D., et al. 2010. Hormonal contraception and risk of cancer. Hum. Reprod. Update, 16 , 631650. URL : http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20543200 .
Figueiredo, J., et al. 2010. Oral contraceptives and postmenopausal hormones and risk of contralateral breast cancer among BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutation carriers and noncarriers: The WECARE Study. Breast Cancer Res. Treat., 120 , 175183. URL: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2835545/?tool=pubmed .
Rosenberg, L., et al. 2009. A case-control study of oral contraceptive use and incident breast cancer. Am. J. Epidemiol., 169 , 473479. URL: http://aje.oxfordjournals.org/content/169/4/473.long .
Lee, E., et al. 2007. Effect of reproductive factors and oral contraceptives on breast cancer risk in BRCA1/2 mutation carriers and noncarriers: Results from a population-based study. Cancer Epidemiol. Biomarkers Prev., 17 , 31703178. URL: http://cebp.aacrjournals.org/content/17/11/3170.long .
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Will My Daughter Start Having Sex If She Goes On Birth Control Pills For Acne Or Any Other Medical Reason
Your daughter will most likely not start having sex if she goes on the Pill for reasons other than birth control. If she goes on the Pill for one of the medical reasons, she is probably just thinking about treating whatever the problem is. Her decision to have sex will likely be completely independent from her decision to go on the Pill at this time. Your daughter will choose to start having sex when she is ready, which involves much more than just when birth control is available.
Make Sure Youre Getting Enough Fats
Consuming enough fats may support hormone levels and ovulation. Polyunsaturated fatty acids appear to make the most difference.
Common sources include:
- walnuts
- flax seeds
The Cleveland Clinic recommends that 20 to 35 percent of your daily calories should be from fat. Approximately 5 to 10 percent of these calories should come specifically from PUFAs.
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What Are Birth Control Pills
Birth control pills, also called the pill, work by changing the levels of sex hormones in a woman’s body, specifically estrogen and progesterone, to prevent pregnancy.
The artificial hormones in birth control prevent ovulation – the release of the egg from the ovary – and thicken cervical mucus to prevent sperm from reaching the ovary.
While preventing pregnancy is the main mode of action of birth control pills, they can also be used as treatment for irregular periods, which is discussed below.
What Does Perimenopause Mean
When your periods stop completely, it’s called menopause. Perimenopause means around the time of menopause. The peri-menopausal years are the few years before your periods stop. The timing of menopause is different for each woman. Although some women stop having periods in their 30s, the average age is the early 50s. So, peri-menopausal women are usually in their 40s or early 50s.
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Treatments For Irregular Periods Instead Of Birth Control
Because of the numerous side effects and long-term risks associated with taking birth control pills, many women are steering to more natural methods for period health.
As such, natural and effective irregular periods treatments focus on lifestyle changes alongside the use of alternative medicine used for years in combatting period abnormalities. These initiatives will not only regulate cycles, but also relieve other menopause symptoms, such as hot flashes, night sweats, mood swings, and more.
On a final note, women who are looking for contraceptive methods that do not involve exogenous hormone use may implement the barrier method or speak with their doctors to find a solution that works best for them.
Birth Control Can Make Your Period Irregular At First
Hormonal contraceptives like birth control pills and the hormonal intrauterine device work to prevent pregnancy by interfering with the natural fluctuation of hormones in your cycle that form eggs and ovarian follicles. This interference is what prevents you from getting pregnant.
Some hormonal contraceptives, like the hormonal IUD, also prevent pregnancy by thinning the lining of your uterus, known as the endometrium, so an egg cant attach to it.
A thin endometrium means your body doesnt need to shed it as often or at all, so your period may become much lighter or stop altogether, Zhang says.
Spotting or bleeding between periods can happen when you start using a new method of hormonal birth control, Zhang says. Plus, some people choose to use birth control in a way that suppresses their period entirely, like taking birth control pills continuously , which can also result in spotting until your body gets used to the new routine.
But if you have spotting or bleeding between periods that doesnt go away within a few months, or if theres a sudden change in your cycle, thats worth noting, Zhang says.
If youre on an IUD and you dont get your period, if all of a sudden you have heavy bleeding or have irregular bleeding, that is something to ask your doctor about, she says.
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Clear Up Skin And Prevent Unwanted Hair Growth
Birth control pills can improve acne and hair growth in the midline of your body by reducing the levels of male hormones your ovaries make. If you have higher than normal levels of these hormones, or if youâre sensitive to them, you may start to grow hair above your lip, under your chin, between your breasts, between your belly button and pubic bone, or down your inner thigh. You should see less unwanted hair within 6 months.
The hormones in birth control pills can also help stop acne from forming, but it may take several months to see a difference.
Can I Use Birth Control Pills If I Have Heavy Periods
Generally, yes. Birth control pills should not have an adverse effect on heavy periods and can help, as described above. However, when you initially have a heavy period, you should consult with your doctor to determine the cause. Your physician may advise you to alter the kind of birth control pill you are taking to help address the heavy period.
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