Side Effects Of Birth Control Contraceptives

Many years ago, women really did not have a say about whether they want to have a baby or not. Nowadays, however, women have the capacity to plan their careers, lives and family with the help of contraceptives, particularly birth control pills which is considered as a contraceptive that is around 92% to 99.75% efficient. Statistics show that this oral contraceptive is still the number one choice of most of the women. However, birth control pills do not work to prevent sexually transmitted diseases, AIDS/HIV and reproductive tract infections.

Although the birth control pill can be considered as an effective way to control birth, a lot of women are still afraid to use it because of perceived side effects. Moreover, oral contraceptives are not for every woman. Women who are above 35 years old, smokers, and have liver diseases, inexplicable vaginal bleeding, heart problems, history of stroke or heart disease and cancer should not take pills. And of course, women who think that they are pregnant should absolutely not take contraceptive pills. As mentioned earlier, there are quite a number of women who are literally afraid to take oral contraceptives because of side effects. They feel that their protection against unwanted pregnancy does not outweigh possible adverse effects that may be brought about by using the birth control pill.

Here are some of the side effects that women believe can be caused by taking oral pills:

Increase Risk of Certain Types of Cancer: If there is one thing that really prevents a lot of ladies out there to try taking contraceptive pills, it is the fear of increasing their risk of having cancer, particularly in the breasts, ovaries and other reproductive organs. Some decades ago, it is believed that birth control pills increase the likelihood of women getting gynecological cancers for about 40%. In reality, however, the oral contraceptives that are available nowadays actually help in preventing cancer, particularly those related to the female reproductive system. To be on the safe side, it would be better for women to seek medical advice before using oral contraception, especially if you have a family history of cancer.

Unwanted Weight Gain: According to studies, the average weight increase of women who are taking oral pills is about 3 kilograms in a period of one year. However, this slight weight gain can also be due to slow metabolism, normal aging process and even lack of exercise. Although the weight gain caused by pills is only minimal, there are women, especially those that are in their 20s, who do not want to take the risk of ingesting something that may contribute unwanted weights. Probably, this is due to the popularity of being thinner.

Bloating and Fluid Retention: Women who are using oral contraception will attest that there is a link between the contraceptive pill and water retention. It seems that high doses of estrogen in birth control pills can really cause weight gain due to retention of body fluid. If the contraceptive that women are using has a high dose of estrogen, they might want to try one that has a lower dosage. If they are experiencing swelling of the arms and legs, as well as abdominal cramping, chest pains, extreme headaches, and eye problems, then it may be wise to visit their doctor immediately because what they are experiencing might be extreme side effects from contraceptive pills.

• John Palsson
• 15/11/2008, 7:44 PM
• 0 Comments