The "birth control" pill...and so much more - Healthy Living on Shine
Thursday, February 26, 2009 by big big
The "birth control" pill...and so much morepartner * by Dr. Kate, The Daily Bedpost, on Tue Apr 1, 2008 9:07am PDT * 128 Comments * Post a Comment * Read More from This Author » * Report Abuse[Ed. note -- Matters of contraception make for - ahem - big and long-lasting conversation here on Shine. Right now, we can't stop talking about the many ways The Pill works in our body and the many reasons, even outside of birth control, we use it. Add your opinion to the mix!]My new patient J. came into my office with her mother last week to discuss her awful periods. She's 13, and has been to the emergency room several times (and missed over a week of school this year) because of heavy bleeding and disabling pain. I was excited about offering J. the birth control pill--I don't often have the chance to greatly improve someone's life with a simple prescription. But her mother resisted, because when she was young, "only bad girls went on the Pill that young." Forty-five minutes of conversation later, J.'s mother promised to think about it.This encounter was a reminder that the birth control pill has a bad name. Sure, its contraceptive power is fantastic (97 percent effective when used perfectly). But it's so much more than that: * The anti-anemia pill. You'll bleed less heavily and for fewer days each month. * The anti-cramp pill. You'll need less ibuprofen...and maybe none at all. * The pro-clear-skin pill. Dermatologists recommend the pill to help control acne. * The anti-hair-in-the-wrong-places pill. Meaning less hair growth on your face. * The cyst-reduction pill. You'll reduce the chances of benign ovarian and breast cysts. * The cancer prevention pill. Reduce your risk of endometrial and ovarian cancer by 50-80 percent. * The mood stabilizer pill. The pill can work wonders in some women with premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD). * The bone strengthening pill. Studies indicate that use of the pill can help ward off osteoporosis. * The pro-fertility pill. The pill provides some protection against pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), a major cause of infertility.Do any of you take the "birth control" pill for non-birth-control reasons?The "birth control" pill...and so much more - Healthy Living on Shine
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