Hormones are not harmful

2024 Author: James Gerald | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 14:00

Rumors that hormonal pills are harmful are not substantiated. They arose because the first generation of pills contained very high doses of hormones and, indeed, were unsafe. Now the situation is different, but most women are still prejudiced against hormones, being confident that they can harm their health in one way or another.

Until recently, hormonal drugs were prescribed very carefully, their use was limited, but recently, especially after the appearance of new hormonal drugs (they contain the minimum dose of hormones possible to achieve a contraceptive effect) and the accumulation of knowledge about their capabilities, the views of doctors have changed a lot. Now, hormonal contraceptives can be contraindicated only for very few women, and their variety allows you to choose the right drugs for patients of any age with virtually no side effect and harm to health. Let's say more - hormonal contraceptives of the last generation have medicinal properties: the risk of inflammatory diseases of the pelvic organs is 2-3 times reduced, the development of anemia is 4 times, the occurrence of cancer of the ovaries and the body of the uterus is 2 times, the risk of developing mastopathy and cardiovascular diseases is reduced. Why is this happening? The risk of developing a tumor in the ovaries is the higher, the more ovulations occur in a woman's life. Each pregnancy, as a kind of menopause, "takes away the chances" of cancer. Pills, on the other hand, also reduce the risk of cancer by preventing ovulation. In addition, taking hormonal contraceptives is a good prevention of kidney inflammation and the appearance of a cyst.

In addition, their use can not only protect against unwanted pregnancy, but also help deal with some cosmetic deficiencies (acne, hair loss, improve skin condition, etc.). By affecting the overall level of hormones, complex oral contraceptives (COCs) reduce the activity of the sebaceous glands, "inhibiting" the development of acne. Specialists-gynecologists highlight the drugs "Diane-35", "Zhanin" and "Tri-Merci".

Taking hormones allows you to maintain bone strength, since they play a significant role in the regeneration of the skeleton. Osteoblasts, the cells that contribute to its production, and osteoclasts, the cells that "repair" bones, are involved in the construction of bone tissue. The vitality of both the first and the second depends on the amount of estrogen. With age, women have a decrease in estrogen levels, and hormonal drugs make it possible to maintain it in normal conditions and thus protect against osteoporosis.

Modern oral hormonal contraceptives are practically do not affect weight!

Low-dose drugs also allow control the menstrual cycle … For example, you can get rid of menstruation while on vacation, sporting events, etc. This opportunity is already widely used all over the world, but a doctor's consultation is necessary before this!

And reducing the number of days of menstruation and modeling the cycle using hormonal contraception allows you to avoid migraines, chest pain and other PMS symptoms, according to American gynecologists.

Hormones relieve PMS! Painful cramps during and before menses are caused by a substance called prostaglandin, which is released during ovulation. With the use of COCs, this substance is produced less and the spasms disappear. In any case, pain, especially acute pain, is a symptom, not a disease, therefore, in case of physical discomfort, it is recommended to consult a gynecologist to find the cause.

One of the most effective drugs that alleviate the physical and mental state of women before the onset of menstruation is the YASMIN contraceptive ("Yarina"). It helps with various forms of PMS due to the progestin it contains, a diuretic derivative used in the treatment of diseases associated with excess water in the body. Some have noted that YASMIN has been shown to "clear up" mood swings and headaches, although research is needed to prove that this is a drug effect and not a placebo effect.

Taking hormonal pills does not affect the health of the unborn child! If a woman has been taking contraceptives for several years and at a certain moment she wished to have a child, then she should simply cancel the drug and do not need to use other methods for some time. After discontinuation of the drug, pregnancy may occur. Sometimes it happens that pregnancy does not occur in the first few months after the hormonal pills are canceled - in this case, you should not be afraid, this is completely normal!

With all the above advantages, when taking hormonal contraceptives, there may be side effects: discomfort, abdominal pain, nausea, the mammary glands may swell, and bleeding may appear in the middle of the cycle. Often these side effects go away 2-3 months after you start taking them, so there is no need to panic. In any case, be sure to inform your doctor about them. Sometimes the side effects are very pronounced and do not disappear after 3 months. In these cases, the doctor must replace these pills with others.

Different women react differently to the components of hormonal contraceptives. If the tablets are replaced with others (with other hormones or with a different dose of them), the side effects often disappear.

In hormone-sensitive women, oral contraceptives can increase the physical and emotional symptoms of PMS, especially in the first two to three months of use. In such cases, there is an alternative: products with low levels of estrogen and progestin, such as "Logest".

You should think about the possibility of using hormonal pills or prolonged-release drugs if:

- there are no contraindications;

- sex life is regular and active (more often 4 times a month);

- the woman's age is less than 35 years (only for combination tablets); adolescents can take combination pills;

- there are no side sexual relations between a man and a woman (in this case, it is necessary to additionally use a condom and / or spermicide);

- the woman has an irregular menstrual cycle or painful periods;

- the woman wants to use effective contraception;

- the woman has already had an ectopic pregnancy;

- a woman is breastfeeding (only for progestin-only drugs) - combination pills should not be taken by nursing women;

- if a woman has high blood pressure or a tendency to thrombosis - you need to consult a doctor about the possibility of taking progestin pills (such women cannot take combined pills).

Women with blood clots, hormonally sensitive breasts and ovarian cancer, paralysis and liver disease, heart attacks, a tendency to hypertension and uterine bleeding, and women who smoke over 30 years old are better off using other forms of contraception.

You need to know that taking pills requires concentration (skipping the next pill should be avoided!). Therefore, if you are confused by the inconvenience associated with the regular intake of pills, then you can advise the subcutaneous administration of the newest drug Norplant containing dry hormones that will act for five years.

Not so long ago, hormone-containing spirals have appeared and are already being successfully used. They have a number of advantages over conventional intrauterine contraceptives, since they combine the properties of spirals and hormonal agents, but the hormonal effect on the body is limited by the uterine cavity.

But the spiral, with all the attractiveness of this method, is still a foreign body in the uterine cavity, so they try to put it on those women who have already given birth to all the desired and planned children. The disadvantage of this method is that the spiral, being in the uterine cavity, violates the protective barriers provided by nature and increases the risk of infectious diseases. Therefore, before placing the spiral, a woman must undergo a fairly thorough examination and subsequently be observed by a gynecologist at least once a year.

Finally, we will say again that today the choice of hormonal agents is so wide that it allows you to choose the appropriate contraceptive contraceptive for almost any woman, taking into account her age, marital status, concomitant diseases, even such severe ones as diabetes mellitus, diseases of the cardiovascular system, obesity …

These drugs have a big plus - in addition to contraceptive action, some of them can also treat concomitant diseases. The newest contraceptive drugs with a minimum content of hormones can be used even in adolescence, since they give a minimum of side effects and maximum reliability.

However, among hormonal drugs, it is difficult to identify the best or worst remedies. What works for one woman may be contraindicated for another. Therefore, before you start using this or that drug, you should definitely consult your doctor. He will help you choose the most suitable remedy, and if any deviations occur, replace the drug: taking a properly selected contraceptive should not noticeably affect the woman's condition and well-being.