A Solution to Menopause?

The Effects of Birth Control on Your Irregular Period

Many women turn to low dosage birth control pills during perimenopause to regulate their periods. Specifically, an abnormally heavy flow or a period that lasts more than seven days can cause problems with iron deficiency and decrease your quality of life. If you are considering birth control pills as a solution to your irregular period during menopause, here are some useful facts.

How will birth control pills help me?

During perimenopause, your body is going through crucial hormonal changes that affect your uteral lining. While your body continues to produce estrogen and progesterone, the levels of these hormones can fluctuate drastically. When there is more estrogen present in the system than progesterone, the uterus will develop additional tissue, causing heavier periods.

Birth control pills will regulate the presence of these two hormones in your body, eliminating heavier, longer periods that disrupt your day-to-day activity. In some cases, a physician may recommend that you take a continuous dosage of pills—not stopping during the week of your period—in order to stop bleeding altogether.

Are there any dangers of taking birth control during perimenopause?

While birth control pills may reduce the risk of ovarian and endometrial cancer, they also increase the likelihood of cervical and liver cancer in some patients.

There has been substantial research on the relationship between breast cancer and birth control pills. Although the findings aren’t conclusive, scientific studies have demonstrated a link between pill usage and breast cancer in premenopausal women (women who have not yet reached perimenopause). This increased risk seems to return to normal ten years after these women stopped taking the pill.

In some women, birth control pills also increased the likelihood of developing blood clots.

Are there any other advantages of taking the pill?

Taking birth control pills can help you manage some of the other symptoms of menopause, such as hot flashes, mood swings and even osteoporosis. While women in menopause are more prone to ovarian, endometrial, and uterine cancers, taking the pill can reduce the risk of these diseases. Because it is still possible to get pregnant during perimenopause, the pill can also be an effective method of contraception.

More Information about Irregular Periods:

Taking birth control pills is only one way to treat irregular periods. Lifestyle changes, such as reducing stress and limiting caffeine and alcohol consumption, have also been proven to treat menstrual irregularity. Click the following link for more information about treatments for irregular periods.