Advantages and Negative Side Effects of Contraceptive Pills

23.11.2009 | By: Izabela M

Many women will be surprised to learn that the negative side effects or risks of contraceptive pills are actually fewer than their advantages. Oral contraception doesn't only make your period easier for you, but can also protect you from certain kinds of cancer and infections.

We often wonder about the advantages and negative side effects of contraceptive pills. (jlp)

Advantages

Protection against pregnancy

The event of pregnancy while taking contraceptive pills can occur solely because you forgot to take the pill or due to some circumstances that inhibit the effectiveness of contraceptive pills. They are 99% effective and easy to use. If you take them simultaneously with other drugs, such as antibiotics, antirheumatic drugs or antiepileptics, they can reduce their effectiveness or cause bleeding, and unwanted pregnancy can occur. If treatment with the aforementioned drugs is needed, it’s best to use additional protection, for instance, a condom.

Regular menstrual cycle

Women who have irregular periods get an additional benefit from taking oral contraceptives, as one of the positive side effects of contraceptive pills is their influence on the menstrual cycle. In addition to having regular periods while taking contraceptive pills, pain (associated with dysmenorrhoea) can also be reduced. Women who normally bleed heavily during menstruation, bleed less as well as lose less iron.

If you’re treated with antibiotics, use a condom. (jlp)

Protection against cancer and infections

Worldwide, ovarian cancer affects approximately 160,000 women per year, whereas endometrial cancer affects the lives of 140,000 women. The most important advantage or one of the most positive side effects of contraceptive pills is protection against ovarian and endometrial cancer. The figures show that the number of women who take the pill and get cancer has been halved. In addition, oral contraceptives reduce the risks of reproductive tract infections and gynaecological diseases, such as cysts.

Fewer uterine myomas (fibroids)

Uterine myomas (fibroid) are benign tumours that grow in the uterus. They consist of muscle and connective tissue and grow just underneath the surface, within the uterine wall or under the lining of the uterus in the form of a knot, lump or thickened wall. They usually develop between the ages of 35 and 45, in every third woman. They aren’t dangerous, but they can cause numerous problems. Contraceptive pills reduce the risk of developing myomas by almost 20% for every five years of taking the pill.

Contraceptive pills reduce the risk of ovarian cancer, infections and the development of myomas (fibroids). (jlp)

Risks and possible side effects of contraceptive pills

Heart and vascular diseases

A heart attack is a consequence of developing a blood clot and damaged heart muscle. One of the negative side effects of contraceptive pills is that women taking them are 3-5 times more likely to have a heart attack. Otherwise, young and healthy women very rarely have any heart condition, but women who take contraceptive pills and smoke are at risk. This risk is additionally increased after the age of 35. Contraceptive pills also increase the risk of a stroke or high blood pressure. This increase is clinically insignificant if women take modern preparations containing low doses of hormones. The factors that have a stronger effect on high blood pressure than contraceptive pills are obesity and high blood pressure in the family.

Breast cancer

Although there’ve been numerous studies conducted in relation to breast cancer and contraceptive pills, only some of them establish a weak link between breast cancer and the long-term use of contraceptive pills. No research showed an increased risk of breast cancer in women who took contraceptive pills in their fertile period after the age of 45.

A strong link between breast cancer and contraceptive pills hasn’t been established yet. (jlp)

Beware: contraceptive pills protect neither against sexually transmitted diseases nor against HIV, hepatitis and human papilloma virus that causes cervical cancer.