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Your Body on Birth Control

Her Campus Placeholder Avatar Sarah Smith
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at UC Berkeley chapter.

 
The Pill works by tricking your body (via artificial versions of the female hormones estrogen and progesterone) into that ovulation has already occurred, that way your ovaries don’t release a monthly egg. In terms of reproduction, the process seems relatively black and white. But what other bodily effects can you expect from the steady levels of excess hormones floating through your bloodstream?
 
Weight Gain
One of the biggest concerns of women thinking about using the pill is packing on the pounds. And in fact, high doses of estrogen do cause water-retention and subsequent bloating. It has also been shown to increase breast tissue, potentially taking you up a cup size. However, research has shown that low-dose Pills are not only equally effective at preventing pregnancy as the higher dose ones, but don’t appear to cause any weight gain at all—according to a study at the University of Massachusetts.
 
Clearer Skin
The artificial estrogen in birth control pills stimulates the production of a  protein called sex hormone–binding globulin (SHBG), which in turn reduces down levels of testosterone—the hormone that spurs the output of the junk that clogs your pores.
 
Decrease in Sex Drive
That spike in SHBG (the protein that zaps acne) reduces testosterone levels, which is great for preventing breakouts, but not so great for your sex drive. However, many women make enough testosterone to counteract the effect, says sex medicine physician Irwin Goldstein, M.D. If it is causing a problem for you, you can always talk to your ob-gyn about nonestrogen birth control such as the IUD.
 
A Reduced Risk of Cancer
According to a study a few years back in the American Journal of Epidemiology, taking the Pill for 6 months can actually decrease your odds of getting colorectal cancer by nearly 40 percent. And if you keep it up for 3 years, your risk of developing ovarian cancer can drop by up to 50 percent, says the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.
 
No More Mood Swings
Steady hormone levels mean relatively steady moods as well, reported a 2006 study in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology.
 
SOURCE: WOMEN’S HEALTH MAGAZINE
 
PHOTO CREDIT: http://www.steadyhealth.com

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Sarah Smith is a junior at the University of Michigan, Class of 2012, majoring in Communication Studies and Political Science. She is the Editor-in-Chief of The Forum, Michigan's Greek Life Newspaper, and the secretary of Michigan's chapter of Ed2010. Sarah is also an active member of Alpha Delta Pi Sorority, and she currently serves Michigan's Panhellenic Association as the Vice President of Public Relations.  A native of Sterling Heights, MI, she has been a Michigan fan since birth and loves spending Saturday mornings cheering on her Wolverines. Some of her favorite things include The Office, Audrey Hepburn, women's magazines, and microwave popcorn - preferably with lots of butter and salt!