Treating Fibroids in Uterus with Birth Control Pills

Birth control pills (oral contraceptive pills) regulate amounts of progesterone-estrogen in the body. Progestin is the artificial version of the progesterone present in the system.

Although progestin, estrogen don a part in development of fibroids in uterus, yet oral contraceptives have not impact on the fibroid size and merely help in improving heavy period that could be causal to fibroids in uterus.

Oral contraceptives function by:

• Preventing the release of the monthly egg from the ovaries (ovulation) which thwarts pregnancy.
• Minimizing development of endometrium (lining of uterus) which helps in reducing or stopping dysfunctional uterine bleeding (thickened development of endometrium that causes heavy period).
• It could halt menses in case used for protracted span of time. This outcome could endure till many months subsequent to having ceased their intake.

Contraceptive Pills Brands in Use

• Very low dose pill types such as Loestrin 1/20, Alesse, Mircette have twenty micrograms of estrogen along with progestin.
• Low dose pill types like Seasonale, Lo/Ovral, Yasmin have thirty to thirty-five micrograms of progestin as well as estrogen.
• Phasic pill types like Ortho Tri-Cyclen Lo, Triphasil, Ortho-Novum have varying amounts of progestin, estrogen.
• High dose pill types like Ortho Novum, Demulen, Ovral have around fifty micrograms of progestin-estrogen.

Oral contraceptives reduce heavy, lengthy and agonizing menses irrespective of whether fibroids in uterus are present or not. Prevalent side-effects are scanty or missed menses, spotting (in-between blood loss) that generally lowers following usage of hormonal option for around four months.

Contraceptive Skin patches

Skin patch brands like Ortho Evra patch having twenty micrograms estrogen and progestin might irritate the skin at the patch location.

Contraceptive Vaginal Ring

Contraceptive vaginal ring like NuvaRing having fifteen micrograms progestin and estrogen could cause discharge from vagina and vaginal inflammation and aggravation or vaginitis.

Lesser prevalent side-effects linked to combination hormonal method comprise of:

• Feeling nauseous, puking particularly in the initial month of usage.
• Regular headache or acute intensity. Migraine could aggravate though such side-effect has lesser likelihood in case of vaginal rings.
• Breast soreness in the initial couple of months.

Uncommonly experienced side-effects are weight increase, moodiness, depressive tendencies, skin pigmentation or darkish skin patches on the facial area (chloasma) and lowered libido. Atypical yet grave side-effects related to combination hormonal methods are hypertension, cardiovascular issues, DVT (deep vein thrombosis), likelihood of augmented chances of developing cervical cancer.

Certain atypical yet grave symptoms that when experienced alongside the use of hormonal methods must necessitate prompt medical assistance are pains in the abdomen, chest pains, headache, eye conditions or acute leg aches.

Patch Caveats

• Since patches deliver larger amounts of estrogen as compared to less-dose contraceptive pills and studies have found links between greater likelihood of blood clot formations in leg and lung among patch users. The risk rises in case one smokes or having some health conditions.
• Being exposed to direct rays of the sun or heat could raise hormone release from patches thus giving larger dosage at an instant and leaving lesser hormone released from the patch for later on.

Birth control hormones are contraindicated in case:

• One is over thirty-five years of age, smoking, diabetic or having an augmented chance of developing cardiovascular disease.
• Having a past case of breast cancer since estrogen has been found to stimulate particular forms of breast cancer.
• Hypertension.
• Liver ailment.
• A past of blood clot problems in vein (DVT) or pulmonary embolism.
• A past of stroke.
• Migraine headache with aura.
• Those women over thirty-five years of age.

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