Is it bad to take birth control pills indefinitely?

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), sexual health is a state of physical, mental and social well-being in relation to sexuality. It requires a positive and respectful approach to sexuality and sexual relationships, so that they are lived in a safe and pleasant way with no room for violence, coercion or discrimination. In this sense, the decision to use contraceptive methods or not has a special relevance, since it is an alternative with direct consequences on health and the enjoyment of sexuality.

One of the most popular contraceptive methods today is the combined oral contraceptive pill (PAOC), commonly known as the contraceptive pill or simply "the pill." This method contains hormones that prevent pregnancy, although in no case does it protect against Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs) such as HIV (AIDS), gonorrhea, syphilis, hepatitis B, etc. To prevent them, the only possible strategy is the use of a condom.

Currently, the pill is the method used by more than 100 million women around the world. However, there are variations depending on the country, age, educational level and marital status. Despite its widespread use and being marketed since the 1960s, this drug continues to raise many doubts. The pill has changed the way of living sexuality and reproduction, but there are still erroneous beliefs about it and great misinformation among the consumers themselves.

All contraceptives (with the exception of the condom) have negative consequences and health side effects beyond their benefits. However, there are some conceptions about the pill and its impact on the woman's body that are far from scientific evidence.

One of the doubts that most assail women who take the pill is whether its indefinite consumption can have negative consequences on their health. To clear up this doubt, in this article we are going to collect everything you need to know about this contraceptive method.

What is the contraceptive pill?

Essentially, the pill is a hormonal contraceptive method. Normally, it is made up of a mixture of estrogen and progesterone. These hormones prevent ovulation, that is, the shedding of an egg during the menstrual cycle. By not ovulating, the woman cannot get pregnant because there is no ovum available to fertilize.

The contraceptive pill must be taken daily, so that these hormones can act on the body and thus prevent pregnancy. As we have been commenting, these pills help prevent the ovaries from releasing an egg. In addition, they slow the advancement of the ovum through the fallopian tubes, thicken the cervical mucus and thin the lining of the uterus, all in order to avoid the union between ovum and sperm.

Although there is always talk of "the pill", the truth is that there are several types of birth control pills. Mainly, we can talk about two:

• Combined contraceptive pill: This type contains estrogen and progesterone.
• Minipill: This type contains only progesterone. In this case, all the pills in the pack have the same amount of hormones and all the pills are active. The progesterone dose in the minipill is always lower than that found in the combined pill.

Furthermore, combined birth control pills can also be differentiated based on the number of active and inactive pills taken each month:

• Conventional: This type generally contains 21 active and 7 inactive pills. Bleeding appears every month when the woman starts taking the inactive tablets.
• Continuous dosing or long cycle: In this case the packages contain 84 active pills and 7 inactive ones. The bleeding appears only four times a year, coinciding with the taking of the inactive pills.

Similarly, combined birth control pills can vary depending on whether the dose of hormones stays the same or varies:

• Single phase: This pill is one in which each active tablet contains the same amounts of estrogen and progestin,
• Multiphase: This pill has tablets with amounts of hormones that change.

Beneficial effects of the pill

In addition to the obvious benefits related to contraception, there are other positive results that can be obtained from taking the pill. Among them, it is worth highlighting reduction of menstrual bleeding, relief of dysmenorrhea or menstrual pain and reduction of acne and hirsutism (hair growth in androgen-dependent areas, such as the lip, back, chin ...).

Added to this, the combined pill has been shown to help reduce the risk of endometrial and ovarian cancer, as well as endometriosis. Similarly, this method seems to be associated with a lower incidence of pelvic inflammatory disease, thanks to the fact that it modifies the shape of the cervical mucus.

On the other hand, the use of the contraceptive pill also It is an alternative widely used in those women who suffer from Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS), generally linked to irregular rules. However, the pill only allows to treat the symptoms (among other things, it regulates the period), but not the cause of the problem, since it is a syndrome of multifactorial origin. This means that, once the pill is stopped, the problems reappear.

All of these benefits are related to the use of the combined pill. In the case of the minipill (remember that it only uses progesterone), it is highly effective against pregnancy, but it is not as useful in relation to the other aspects discussed as the combined one. In some cases, the mini pill can even cause menstrual irregularity.

Side effects of the pill

As we mentioned at the beginning, there is no ideal contraceptive. The pill offers, as we have seen, numerous benefits, but it is also interesting to know the possible side effects that it can produce.

• Bleeding between rules: It is rare, but sometimes small losses can appear between rules. It is most likely during the first few months and when taking the mini pill.

• Weight gainAlthough there is much discussion regarding this issue, it seems that the pill produces some fluid retention that can increase weight by 2-3 kg.

• Changes in mood: Although our psychological well-being depends on many factors, progesterone can have effects on the brain, as it does in pregnancy.

• Reduced sexual desire: There are women who experience positive changes in their libido as they feel more protected in their relationships, but others report a marked decrease in their sexual desire.

• Headache: Combination contraceptive pills can intensify premenstrual headaches in women who already suffered from it and cause migraines in those who did not experience this problem before.

• Vascular problems: Fortunately, current pills are safer and the risk of thrombosis is very low, with women with high blood pressure or smoking being the most likely to suffer from it.

So is it bad to take the birth control pill indefinitely?

Now that we have reviewed the advantages and disadvantages of the contraceptive pill, let's clarify the central question: Is there something wrong with using this method indefinitely? The answer is clear: no. Taking contraceptives for a long time, as long as this is done in a controlled way by a health professional and in adequate health conditions, it does not have to be a problem. To date, no studies have shown that long-term use of the pill can reduce fertility, a myth rather than widespread.

Therefore, provided that you are in an adequate state of health, the pill (both the combined and the mini) is a safe contraceptive method that can be used for as long as you want to control the birth rate.

In any case, it is always essential to take this type of contraceptive with the supervision of a doctor. Some medical conditions or characteristics of the woman may not be compatible with this alternative., some examples being the following:

• Women over 35 or smokers
• Women who have just given birth
• Women with blood clotting problems, high blood pressure, heart problems, liver problems, lupus, diabetes, etc.

In these cases, it is possible that the minipill can be used as a substitute for the combined one, although sometimes it may be preferable to opt for other contraceptive methods. For all that we have commented, taking an occasional break from birth control pills is of no benefit. On the contrary, this practice can increase the risk of blood clots or unwanted pregnancy.

Leaning on health professionals can be of great help in weighing the advantages and disadvantages of using this contraceptive method. Each woman is different, so it is crucial to assess her medical history, her family history, her habits ... in order to determine the suitability of the pill as a strategy to prevent pregnancy.

Conclusions.

In this article we have talked about the pill, a hormonal contraceptive widely used for its effectiveness in preventing pregnancy. Although this method has been on the market since the sixties and is used by millions of women around the world, there are still many doubts and false myths about it. One of the most widespread has to do with a supposed need to take "breaks", because taking the pill steadily over time can be harmful. This idea is wrong and, on the contrary, the risk may lie in taking unnecessary breaks in your intake.