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About 7 in 8 sexually active women between ages 15 and 49 use contraception to avoid pregnancy, according to the Guttmacher Institute, a leading organization in reproductive policy and research. About 1 in 5 of those people take birth control pills.
While most people use birth control pills to prevent unplanned pregnancies or to space out their pregnancies, the pill can also do some other pretty amazing things. Taking birth control pills may reduce menstrual pain, acne breakouts, and more.
It’s important to talk with an OBGYN about your body and your menstrual cycles to better understand the right option for you. Meanwhile, here are eight things oral contraceptives can do besides reduce your chances of getting pregnant.
Sources: Guttmacher Institute. Contraceptive Use ... + 13
- Guttmacher Institute. Contraceptive Use in the United States by Demographics. May 2021.
- Guttmacher Institute. Contraceptive Use in the United States by Method. May 2021.
- American Society for Reproductive Medicine. Noncontraceptive Benefits of Birth Control Pills. Accessed November 4, 2022.
- Mayo Clinic. Delaying your period with hormonal birth control. January 28, 2022.
- American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Can birth control pills cure PCOS? Last reviewed October 2020.
- American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Combined Hormonal Birth Control: Pill, Patch, and Ring. Last reviewed March 2018.
- American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Progestin-Only Hormonal Birth Control: Pill and Injection. Last reviewed October 2020.
- MedlinePlus. Anemia. Last updated July 29, 2016.
- Cleveland Clinic. 7 Benefits of Skipping Periods With Birth Control. October 5, 2020.
- National Cancer Institute. Oral Contraceptives and Cancer Risk. Reviewed February 22, 2018.
- American Cancer Society. Birth Control & Cancer: Which Methods Raise, Lower Risk. January 21, 2016.
- Iversen L, Fielding S, et al. Association between contemporary hormonal contraception and ovarian cancer in women of reproductive age in Denmark: prospective, nationwide cohort study. The BMJ. 2018; 362.
- Iversen L, Sivasubramaniam S, et al. Lifetime cancer risk and combined oral contraceptives: the Royal College of General Practitioners' Oral Contraception Study. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2017 Jun;216(6):580.
- Morch LS, Skovlund CW, et al. Contemporary Hormonal Contraception and the Risk of Breast Cancer. New England Journal of Medicine. 2017; 377:2228-2239.
