Are Birth Control Pills Bad for You? The Top 3 Ovary-Damaging Habits Most Women Don’t Realize

As an obstetrician and gynecologist, I often encounter patients asking me:

Indeed, in daily life, many women consider oral contraceptives as a “flood and beast” and avoid them as much as possible.

Different types of oral contraceptives,
the differences are actually very significant

In fact, oral contraceptives are a broad concept, which is actually divided into three categories: long-acting oral contraceptives, short-acting oral contraceptives, and emergency oral contraceptives. People who do not understand may confuse them, leading to misunderstandings and anxiety.

Many people worry abouthigh hormone content and many side effects(such as nausea, menstrual disorders, increased vaginal discharge, etc.), it is actually this category of oral contraceptives.

Long-acting oral contraceptives(specifying oral, excluding injections)mainly consist of synthetic high-efficiency estrogen and progesterone, buthigh content. It mainly uses long-acting estrogen and progesterone absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract, stored in adipose tissue and slowly released to play a long-acting contraceptive effect.

* Long-acting contraceptive injections include:

However, for the aforementioned reasons, they are nowless commonly used.

The main ingredients of short-acting oral contraceptives are synthetic high-efficiency estrogen and progesterone, different trade names contain different doses of estrogen and different types of progestogens. When used correctly, the contraceptive efficiency of short-acting oral contraceptives can be as high as 99% or more.

Common medications include:

✅ The benefits of short-acting contraceptives are numerous,highly effective contraception, regulation of menstrual cycles, alleviation of dysmenorrhea, treatment of acne or hirsutism, treatment or alleviation of certain gynecological diseases
(for example, endometrial polyps, endometrial hyperplasia, polycystic ovary syndrome, endometriosis, etc.), at the same time, a large number of domestic and foreign studies have shown that long-term use of short-acting oral contraceptives(in the absence of contraindications), can
reduce the risk of ovarian cancer. Because contraceptives suppress ovulation, reducing the occurrence of abnormalities in the repair process of ovarian ovulation damage.

✅ At the same time, its side effects are relatively small, there may be nausea, vomiting, irregular vaginal bleeding, etc.,generally mild and will gradually adapt as the duration of oral medication increases.

Recommended reading: “Gynecology’s ‘little magic medicine’ is actually what everyone dislikes?”

As the name suggests, it is a contraceptive method used within a few hours or days after unprotected sex or contraceptive failure to prevent unintended pregnancy.

Common medications include levonorgestrel tablets, mifepristone tablets, etc.

⚠️ Key point:
Emergency contraceptives should not be used as regular contraceptive methods, only applicable to occasional emergencies, and have a higher failure rate. Not recommended for routine contraception!

👉 As forside effects, it may cause menstrual cycle disorders, nausea, vomiting, irregular vaginal bleeding, etc., especially if contraception fails, and frequent use has a greater impact on the endocrine system.

Common misconceptions about oral contraceptives

There are many doubts and misconceptions about oral contraceptives in daily life. Here are the answers one by one. If you have any questions that are not answered, you are also welcome to ask in the comments:

Early oral contraceptives had a large dose of estrogen and a single progestogen, which might cause some users to experience side effects such as weight gain and spots. But with the development of science and technology, today’s short-acting contraceptives, such as Yaz/Yasmin,short-acting oral contraceptives containing drospirenone can reduce fluid retention and avoid weight gain.

Oral contraceptives do not increase the overall risk of cancer. Clinical studies have confirmed that women who take short-acting contraceptives(for more than 5 years)have a 30%-50% lower incidence of ovarian cancer than non-users, and the longer the medication is taken, the more significant the protective effect. For endometrial cancer, short-acting contraceptives also show protective effects. For breast cancer and cervical cancer, there is currently no conclusive evidence that oral contraceptives directly increase the risk of disease.

This view is aimed at the long-acting contraceptives with larger doses that have gradually been eliminated. For short-acting contraceptives, there is no clinical study at home and abroad to prove that it is necessary to stop taking the medicine for 3-6 months before pregnancy. A large number of studies have shown that the pregnancy rate after stopping the medicine is comparable to the general population. If you have a plan to get pregnant, you can stop taking short-acting contraceptives and recover menstruation.

Some female friends may accidentally become pregnant while taking short-acting contraceptives due to missed or incorrect use, and they may worry about whether the medication will affect the fetus. Current medical research shows that the proportion of deformities in offspring born to women who have taken contraceptives is basically the same as that of women who have not taken contraceptives. There is currently no evidence to prove that congenital deformities are related to contraceptives.

In fact, as long as you are in good health, older women can still take contraceptives. But if you have been smoking for a long time, are overweight, have a personal or family history of thrombosis, high blood pressure, or other diseases, taking medication may increase the risk of thrombosis and should be used with caution. It is recommended to let a doctor assess the risks before deciding whether to use it.

Unless you want to get pregnant, or a new event increases the risk of thrombosis(for example, fractures that require immobilization and other special circumstances), there is no medical reason for you to temporarily stop taking short-acting contraceptives.

Fertility is related to many factors, the most important influencing factor is one’s own age
. Many women use contraceptives as a means of contraception when they are young, and when they stop taking the medicine, they are often no longer young, and the chance of conception naturally decreases with age, leading to the misconception that contraceptives affect fertility. In fact, the correct use of short-acting contraceptives,while being highly effective in contraception, protects female fertility, allowing us to avoid pregnancy termination due to unintended pregnancy, which is the real event that damages fertility.

What we really need to worry about
harming the ovaries is these behaviors

Readers who have read this far should have understood the differences between the three types of oral contraceptives, relieved their anxiety, and cleared up misconceptions about short-acting contraceptives.

So, in order to protect our ovaries, what are the behaviors that we really need to be vigilant about and avoid in daily life?

Emergency contraceptives contain a large dose of progestogen, which can easily cause endocrine disorders in women, leading to changes in menstrual cycles, although not proven to be directly related to ovarian cancer, it may increase the risk of menstrual abnormalities, ovarian cysts, etc., and is not recommended as a regular contraceptive method.

Abortion willcause damage to the endometrium, and may also trigger infections, affecting the normal function of the endometrium and ovaries. Multiple abortions may lead to ovarian endocrine dysfunction, uterine adhesion, menstrual disorders, amenorrhea, and even affect fertility in severe cases.

⚠️ Long-term stay up late

Long-term stay up late will disrupt the human body’s biological clock and affect the normal rhythm of the endocrine system. Endocrine disorders will interfere with the function of the hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian axis,affect ovulation and hormone secretion of the ovaries, thereby damaging the health of the ovaries.

⚠️ Long-term smoking and excessive drinking

Long-term smoking and excessive drinking will affect the development and maturation of follicles in the ovaries, leading to a decline in ovarian function, and issues such as premature ovarian failure.

⚠️ Excessive dieting/long-term intake of high-sugar, high-fat, high-salt foods Excessive dieting or long-term intake of high-sugar, high-fat, high-salt foods can lead to nutritional imbalances.The body lacks necessary nutrients, such as vitamins, minerals, proteins, etc., which will affect the normal metabolism and function of the ovaries.

In conclusion

Oral contraceptives are not as terrifying as commonly misunderstood. When used correctly, they are not only an effective method of contraception but also have many benefits for women’s health.

Of course, when choosing to use oral contraceptives, one shouldconsult a doctor, fully understand their own physical condition and the advantages and disadvantages of the medication, and make the right choice. At the same time, we must alsobe vigilant against those unhealthy lifestyles that truly harm the ovaries and protect our reproductive health.