Birth Control Pills

Many women start out using "the pill" as their primary form of birth control when they become sexually active. Cheap, easy to use and with few side effects, combination oral contraceptives (which contain estrogen and progestin) work to prevent pregnancy in several ways. They suppress ovulation, thin the lining of the uterus to prevent implantation and change the consistency of the cervical mucus, making it more difficult for sperm to reach an egg. Birth control pills are 91 to 99 percent effective if you take them correctly.

For years doctors warned that women over 35 shouldn't use the pill. But today we know that healthy women who don't smoke and have no history of cardiovascular disease can safely use the pill until age 50. This is particularly good news for women who use oral contraception as a way to manage the heavy or irregular menstrual bleeding that often occurs in midlife.

Combination oral contraceptives have other non-contraception benefits for women. Long-term use can increase bone mineral density and reduce the risk of hip fracture after menopause, while perimenopausal women may find it helps prevent hot flashes.

In fact, the World Health Organization notes that the benefits of combination oral contraceptives for healthy, nonsmoking women 40 and older outweigh any risks. Those risks include a slightly increased risk of breast and cervical cancer, high blood pressure and stroke, all of which disappear once a woman stops taking the pill.

One caveat: Oral contraceptives may mask menopause. That's why many health care providers recommend that women stop using them at age 50 so they can identify when menopause occurs. Another reason to stop at 50 is that a woman's risk of blood clots and stroke increase as she ages. Many doctors prefer switching women to an alternative birth control method at this point.

This content was produced with the support of an educational grant from Conceptus, Inc.

Create Date: 5/7/07
Date Last Updated: 5/7/07