TLDR: yes! While most women use contraceptives to prevent unplanned pregnancies, birth control has other advantages. Some women report feeling more in charge of their reproductive health while being on birth control, even if they are not indulging in penetrative sex.
Hormonal birth control may also have various health benefits, such as clearing up acne, regulating periods, lowering your chance of developing certain forms of cancer, and reducing PMS symptoms. Condoms, sponges, cervical caps, spermicides, and copper IUDs are examples of non-hormonal birth control methods that won't offer the same advantages.
Additionally, if you are an avid traveller but hate the interruptions periods bring, you can tackle those too with hormonal birth control! In this article, we cover some of the positive side effects of using birth control while not being sexually active. Keep reading to discover them yourself!
Reduced acne
For many women, hormonal fluctuations are the root cause of acne. If you suffer from hormonal acne, you might discover that your acne flare-ups occur every month at the beginning of your period. These swings will be better managed when you utilise a hormonal birth control method, which could result in a major decline in hormonal acne. The most effective birth control pills for treating acne are those that include both progestin (progesterone) and oestrogen.
Helps with irregular and painful periods
Many menstruators might be prescribed hormonal birth control to manage painful periods. If you have heavy or irregular bleeding, painful cramps, or uneven cycle lengths that make it difficult to predict when your period will arrive, then the pill, patch, or vaginal ring will lessen your body's hormonal changes and relieve your period-related difficulties.
If period regulation is one of your primary reasons for taking hormonal birth control, be sure to let your doctor know, as different hormonal birth control methods differ slightly in the types and quantities of hormones they contain.
Skipping periods
You can control your period timings and decide if you even want one with the help of hormonal birth control. If you want to minimise the length of your period, you might want to pick a birth control pill that has 24 active pills and only four inactive pills. Another approach is to skip up to three cycles while taking active pills for three months. You can skip your placebo pills if you have an important occasion coming up and don't want to cope with period pain or PMS symptoms.
If you use a birth control patch, instead of being patch-free for a week, simply apply a fresh patch for the fourth week of the month. On the other hand, if you are wearing a birth control ring, wear it for four weeks instead of three, and then swap it out for a fresh one right away.
Lower risk of anaemia
Anaemia, which can lead to exhaustion, dizziness, weakness, and shortness of breath, is less likely to occur when you bleed less. Using birth control is a fantastic strategy to lessen your risk of complications if you've previously battled anaemia. Talk to your doctor to figure out if this can be a treatment option for you!
Reduced risk of cancer
A combined birth control pill lowers a woman's risk of endometrial cancer by 50%, according to a study published in 2010. These effects can last up to 20 years after you stop using birth control pills and are higher the longer you use the pill. In addition, for every five years you use combination pills, your risk of developing ovarian cancer is reduced by around 20%.
Fluid-filled cysts, which can develop in the ovaries and breast tissue, can be unpleasant. Although these are not as serious or threatening as cancer, they still cause women to worry. Hormonal birth control methods that prevent your body from ovulating can decrease the creation of ovarian cysts, and some can also limit the development of breast cysts.
Fewer migraines
At the beginning of your menstruation, hormonal changes might lead to migraines. Using a patch, ring, or birth control tablet can help skip your period and reduce your risk of migraines.
Goodbye PMS
Nobody enjoys dealing with premenstrual syndrome (PMS), but for some menstruators, PMS symptoms might be crippling. They experience severe PMS symptoms, such as mood swings, back pain, breast tenderness, headaches, bloating, and sadness, and find it incredibly hard to work or engage in regular activities in the days preceding the start of their periods.
Hormonal birth control can significantly reduce or even eliminate these symptoms. You may still have some PMS symptoms during the placebo week of your pills, as well as before and during your period, but the symptoms should be modest compared to what you would feel if you didn't use hormonal birth control.
Are you considering using hormonal birth control for one of its many benefits? Our sexual health experts at Rocket Health can help you determine which course of action could best achieve your goals. With the right medical intervention, you can enjoy the many perks of hormonal birth control and prevent unplanned pregnancy as well. Click below to get started!
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