Birth Control Pills:

Medical Benefits

Intro	How to take BCP's
Side Effects	Frequently Asked Questions
Medical Benefits	Birth Control Myths
Who should NOT take BCP's

Adolescent girls and young women are frequently prescribed birth control pills just for the medical benefits. BCP's are a very safe and effective treatment for many types of medical problems, including PCOS, irregular menstrual periods, menstrual cramps, acne, PMS, and endometriosis.

Are there any medical benefits of taking birth control pills?

Birth control pills not only prevent pregnancy, but they also have medical benefits. Many teen girls take the birth control pill just for its medical benefits and not for its protection against pregnancy.

• Regular and Lighter Periods: Oral contraceptive pills can help to regulate the menstrual cycle so your period comes about every 28 days. The Pill usually causes lighter periods too. You may only have a brown smudge on a tampon, pad, panty shield or underwear. The hormone doses in BCP's are very low. This means that the lining of your uterus doesn't become very thick so very little blood needs to come out each month. For the extended cycle pills, you might have a period every 3 months or even less.
• Clearer Skin: Birth control pills can improve acne. The hormones in most types of BCP's can help stop acne from forming. Be patient though, it can take a few months to see an improvement.
• Decreased Cramps, or No Cramps: Birth Control pills can help to decrease menstrual cramps.
• Other Medical Benefits: Because there is less menstrual bleeding with the use of birth control pills, girls taking the Pill are less likely to become anemic. Birth control pills also decrease your chance of getting endometrial (lining of the uterus) cancer, ovarian cancer, and ovarian cysts. BCP's also protect against pregnancies that occur outside the uterus (tubal or ectopic pregnancies).

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Written and reviewed by the CYWH Staff at Boston Children's Hospital

Updated: 10/18/2011

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