The oral contraceptive pills are commonly called “birth control pills”, “Daily Pills” or simply “The Pill”. They are hormonal contraceptives that help to prevent pregnancy and when taken correctly are 99% effective.
Most daily contraceptive pills are a combination of low doses of estrogen and progestin and are taken once-a-day to prevent pregnancy. Some also contain either placebo or ferrous iron to provide a 7 day break between packs and to help women with blood building.
Apart from their contraceptive benefits, there are many other health benefits or uses that nobody talks about. These are:- Prevents Acne
Daily contraceptive pills contain hormones that help regulate certain male hormones like androgen, a hormone that helps produce oils in the skin. The estrogen concentration helps to balance out the male hormones produced by the ovaries, which subsequently reduces the activity of the oil glands in the skin.
The Daily contraceptive pill may be a suitable option for women who battle with bad acne and also need contraceptives so they can have a win-win situation that clears up their skin.
- Regulates period
Taking Daily contraceptive pills like Levofem can help make your periods predictable. Doctors often prescribe it to women with irregular periods to help regulate their periods to coincide with the 7 days of placebo pills. The pill contains 21 days of hormone pills followed by 7 days of placebo pills (usually containing iron and are sugar-coated pills). During the week while taking the placebo or ferrous pills, women get their period (also called withdrawal bleeding). This is because there is a break from the hormones going into their body and this triggers a withdrawal bleeding.
- Decreases menstrual cramps and heavy periods
Asides regulating periods, the pill also helps relieve menstrual cramps and heavy flow. We know that pain-free periods are every woman’s dream, so the added benefit of a light flow is just great. Contraceptive pills work by preventing ovulation from occurring and because there is no egg released, the body does not also produce more prostaglandins in preparation for menstruation which in turn prevents the lining of the womb from thickening as much as before, which results in lighter periods and fewer cramps.
- Lowers risk of endometrial and ovarian cancer
Multiple research has shown that women who use Daily contraceptive pills like Levofem have a 30% – 50% lower risk of ovarian cancer and a 30% reduced risk of developing endometrial cancer. This protection has been found to increase with the length of time Daily contraceptive pills are used and continues for up to 30 years after a woman stops using them.
Daily contraceptive pills can suppress endometrial cell proliferation thus reducing the risk of endometrial cancer. Because they also reduce the number of ovulations a woman experiences in her lifetime, thereby reducing her overall exposure to naturally occurring female hormones.
To be continued….
