Should I worry

iVillage Member
Registered: 04-03-2003
Should I worry
4
Thu, 06-03-2004 - 8:16am
Hi. I am 30 years old and have been taking birth control pills since I was 20. My fiance and I are not we want to have children. Is is safe to continue taking birth control pills until menopause? What health risks are involved? Is there another form of birth control I may want to consider? Thank you for any info you can share. :-)
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-19-2003
In reply to: jgsparkles
Thu, 06-03-2004 - 8:34am
According to my last gynecologist (I haven't asked my current one), it is "safe" to take birth control pills from puberty to menopause. Whether that's something you want to do is obviously up to your own doctor and your discretion, but as far as I know the risks for most healthy women who don't smoke aren't significant. The pill does help protect you from ovarian cancer and endometrial cancer, as it keeps the lining of the uterus moving (monthly bleeding) and not ovulating helps reduce ovarian cancer. There is some question as to whether the pill increases the risk of cervical cancer, it's probably hard to say whether it's the pill causing higher incidences of cervical cancer or the fact that most women don't use condoms when they're on the pill (some strains of HPV, transmitted via sex, can cause cervical cancer). And the jury is still out on whether the pill helps or hurts breast cancer risk over the long-term, it seems like there's always a new and conflicting study, kind of like how caffeine isn't bad for you today and is awful for you tomorrow. ;)

If you're worried about being on the pill for so long, why not talk to your doctor at your next appointment and share your concerns? S/he may have some words of wisdom that would help you.

Another option you might look into if you want the ease and effectiveness of the pill is an IUD. It's typically given to women who have had children already, but more and more doctors are giving them to women without children these days. The IUD is more effective than the pill (there are two types common in the US--a copper IUD and the Mirena IUS which secretes a little bit of progestin) and is good for 5-8 years. You'd go back to your normal cycles, as the IUDs don't prevent ovulation, but all you'd have to do would be to check for the IUD strings every month to make sure they're still there. Some women have bleeding changes with IUD's, depending on the type and how they adjust to it, but we have a lot of IUD users here who are pleased with them. If you want, you can search for the hundreds of IUD posts that we've had over the last couple of years!

We also have successful barrier users here, and I don't mean condoms--cl-dancer31 is our most avid cervical cap user! Caps and diaphragms are as effective as condoms if they're fitted and used properly (that's the biggie--proper fit and diligent use) and are less invasive than an IUD. If you've got questions, I'm sure Jill will be along shortly to answer them!

Good luck...I've been on hormones for 7 1/2 years and haven't worried too much about long-term risks. One of these days I'll stop! Just not right now. ;)

Judie
Co-cl for Birth Control
Judie Cl for Birth Control 
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-27-2003
In reply to: jgsparkles
Thu, 06-03-2004 - 10:30am
there are many low dose bc pills (mini pills) available....there's the IUD however it's mostly recommended for those who have already had 1 child...but you could always check with your dr...sometimes it's used anyway....good luck
iVillage Member
Registered: 04-19-2004
In reply to: jgsparkles
Thu, 06-03-2004 - 11:58am
Just to clarify, the mini-pill is a progestin-only pill and is generally safer to use when you get older because you don't get any estrogen (which is the primary cause of blood clotting on BCP). low-dose pills are not mini-pills, they just have a lower dose of estrogen. However there hasn't been any proof that estrogen dosage makes any difference below 50 micrograms in terms of forming clots. basically, any estrogen dose up to 50 micrograms produces the same chance of clot formation. above 50 micrograms is much more dangerous.

if you and/or your doctor are concerned about continuing the pill as you get older, you may want to consider the mini-pill or depo-provera. The depo shot is a progestin-only form of birth control that lasts 3 months at a time. some women have bad side effects on it, particularly irregular bleeding, especially at the beginning. i do, however, know women in their 30's who love it and swear up and down that it's much better than the pill.

this really seems like the kind of thing to discuss with your doctor or nurse practitioner because they have the most experience at making these kinds of decisions and making educated guesses about what will work best for you and your situation. all we can do here is tell you what works for us. ;)
iVillage Member
Registered: 06-29-2003
In reply to: jgsparkles
Thu, 06-03-2004 - 3:12pm
I was on the pill for 20 years(minus 2 pregnancies). I am 39. I have never had any major health problems from the pill. I quit because of headaches, lack of enery, loss of sex drive. I feel so much better off the pill. My husband recently had a vasectomy(we have completed our family). I dont regret being on the pill. In fact, I am sooo grateful to whoever invented it!!!