Surprising Health Benefits of Sex

Sexual Health

"When you're in the mood, it's a sure bet that the last thing on your mind is boosting your immune system or maintaining a healthy weight. Yet good sex offers those health benefits and more. That's a surprise to many people, says Joy Davidson, PhD, a New York psychologist and sex therapist. 'Of course, sex is everywhere in the media,' she says. 'But the idea that we are vital, sexual creatures is still looked at in some cases with disgust or in other cases a bit of embarrassment. So to really take a look at how our sexuality adds to our life and enhances our life and our health, both physical and psychological, is eye-opening for many people.'

Sex does a body good in a number of ways, according to Davidson and other experts. The benefits aren't just anecdotal or hearsay -- each of these health benefits of sex is backed by scientific scrutiny." *

Sex Relieves Stress

"A big health benefit of sex is lower blood pressure and overall stress reduction, according to researchers from Scotland who reported their findings in the journal Biological Psychology. They studied 24 women and 22 men who kept records of their sexual activity. Then the researchers subjected them to stressful situations -- such as speaking in public and doing verbal arithmetic -- and noted their blood pressure response to stress. Those who had intercourse had better responses to stress than those who engaged in other sexual behaviors or abstained."

Sex Lowers Blood Pressure

"Another study published in Biological Psychology found that frequent intercourse was associated with lower diastolic blood pressure (the lower, or second, number in a blood pressure reading). This study focused on people living with their sex partner.

Still further research found a link between partner hugs and lower blood pressure in women.

Elevated blood pressure is a risk factor for coronary artery disease, heart attack, kidney disease, and stroke."

Sex Boosts Immunity

"Good sexual health may mean better physical health. Having sex once or twice a week has been linked with higher levels of an antibody called immunoglobulin A or IgA, which can protect you from getting colds and other infections. Scientists at Wilkes University in Wilkes-Barre, Pa., took samples of saliva, which contain IgA, from 112 college students who reported the frequency of sex they had.

Those in the 'frequent' group -- once or twice a week -- had higher levels of IgA than those in the other three groups -- who reported being abstinent, having sex less than once a week, or having it very often, three or more times weekly."

Sex Counts As Exercise

"'Sex is a great mode of exercise,' says Patti Britton, PhD, a Los Angeles sexologist and president of the American Association of Sexuality Educators and Therapists. It takes work, from both a physical and psychological perspective, to do it well, she says.

The benefits of sex as a form of exercise are many - sex can improve your cardiovascular fitness, strength, flexibility, and balance, not to mention your emotional health."

Sex Burns Calories

"Thirty minutes of sex burns 85 calories or more. It may not sound like much, but it adds up: 42 half-hour sessions will burn 3,570 calories, more than enough to lose a pound. The number of calories burned during sex is about the same as the number burned by walking at 2 miles per hour.

Doubling up on the 30 minute sessions, you could drop that pound in 21 hour-long sessions."

Sex Improves Cardiovascular Health

"While some older folks may worry that the efforts expended during sex could cause a stroke, that's not so, according to researchers from England. In a study published in theJournal of Epidemiology and Community Health, scientists found that the frequency of sex was not associated with stroke in the 914 men they followed for 20 years.

And the heart health benefits of sex don't end there. The researchers also found that having sex twice or more a week reduced the risk of fatal heart attack by half for the men, compared with those who had sex less than once a month."

Sex Boosts Self-Esteem

"Boosting self-esteem was one of 237 reasons people have sex, collected by University of Texas researchers and published in the Archives of Sexual Behavior.

That finding makes sense to Gina Ogden, PhD, a sex therapist and marriage and family therapist in Cambridge, Mass., although she finds that those who already have self-esteem say they sometimes have sex to feel even better. 'One of the reasons people say they have sex is to feel good about themselves,' she tells WebMD. 'Great sex begins with self-esteem, and it raises it. If the sex is loving, connected, and what you want, it raises it.'"

Sex Strengthens Your Well-Being

"Sex, like any activity that fosters a close and loving connection to your partner, not only raises self-esteem, but strengthens your overall sense of well-being. Studies have shown that people with strong social support networks (which includes lovers) are healthier and happier than their less-connected peers." 

Sex Improves Intimacy

"Having sex and orgasms increases levels of the hormone oxytocin, the so-called love hormone, which helps us bond and build trust. Researchers from the University of Pittsburgh and the University of North Carolina evaluated 59 premenopausal women before and after warm contact with their husbands and partners ending with hugs. They found that the more contact, the higher the oxytocin levels.

'Oxytocin allows us to feel the urge to nurture and to bond,' Britton says.

Higher oxytocin has also been linked with a feeling of generosity. So if you're feeling suddenly more generous toward your partner than usual, credit the love hormone." 

Sex Reduces Pain

"As the hormone oxytocin surges, endorphins increase, and pain declines. So if your headache, arthritis pain, or PMS symptoms seem to improve after sex, you can thank those higher oxytocin levels.

Oxytocin – The Love Hormone

"A study published in the Bulletin of Experimental Biology and Medicine examined the response of the 'love hormone' oxytocin on pain perception in an experiment with 48 volunteers. Study participants inhaled oxytocin vapor and then had their fingers pricked. Those who had inhaled oxytocin lowered their pain threshold by more than half."

Sex Reduces Prostate Cancer Risk

"Frequent ejaculations, especially in 20-something men, may reduce the risk of prostate cancer later in life, Australian researchers reported in the British Journal of Urology International. When they followed men diagnosed with prostate cancer and those without, they found no association of prostate cancer with the number of sexual partners as the men reached their 30s, 40s, and 50s.

But they found men who had five or more ejaculations weekly while in their 20s reduced their risk of getting prostate cancer later by a third.

Another study, reported in the Journal of the American Medical Association, found that frequent ejaculations, 21 or more a month, were linked to lower prostate cancer risk in older men, as well, compared with less frequent ejaculations of four to seven monthly."

Sex Strengthens Pelvic Floor Muscles

"For women, doing a few pelvic floor muscle exercises known as Kegel exercises during sex offers a couple of benefits. You will enjoy more pleasure, and you'll also strengthen the area and help to minimize the risk of incontinence later in life.

To do a basic Kegel exercise, tighten the muscles of your pelvic floor, as if you're trying to stop the flow of urine. Count to three, then release."

Additional Benefits of Kegel Exercises

"Kegel exercises have a number of proven health benefits in addition to making sex more enjoyable. The strengthening of the pelvic floor muscles can help prevent prolapse (a slipping out of position) of the vagina, uterus, and bladder. Pelvic floor muscles may be weakened later in life as a result of childbearing, being overweight, and aging. Kegel exercises help offset the consequences of weakened pelvic floor muscles."

Sex Helps You Sleep Better

"The oxytocin released during orgasm also promotes sleep, according to research.

And getting enough sleep has been linked with a host of other good things, such as maintaining a healthy weight and blood pressure. Something to think about, especially if you've been wondering why your guy can be active one minute and snoring the next."

Sex As Physical Exercise Also Promotes Sleep

"The physical exercise component of sex can also help you relax and sleep better, in addition to the hormonal effects. People who get regular exercise tend to sleep better and have more restful sleep. Moreover, as we have seen in the earlier part of this slideshow, sex is a great way to get some exercise." 

Summary

"Take note that sex is good for you in ways you may never have imagined and that the health benefits extend well beyond the bedroom."

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Scientists use 'arousometer' to measure what turns off women most

Scientists have taken the first biological measure of sexual arousal in women experiencing disgust, and found that feelings of disgust are a bigger turn-off than feelings of fear.

The "arousometer" was a vaginal photoplethysmograph - a clear acrylic tampon-shaped device to measure genital blood flow.

Using a device inserted into women to measure genital blood flow as a gauge of sexual arousal, Diana Fleischman, PhD, an evolutionary psychologist at the UK's University of Portsmouth, investigated 76 heterosexual women aged between 18 and 42 years.

The findings, which also measured the women's self-reported feelings, are published in the online journal PLOS One.

Dr. Fleischman says: "Sex includes increased contact with body odors and fluids which, in other contexts, strongly suggest disease and would elicit disgust.

"Women are more vulnerable to contracting diseases through sex than men and show worse outcomes once infected, so we should expect that women will be especially turned off when they are disgusted."

One group of women in the study were shown disgusting images before watching an erotic film. The second group watched an erotic film and were then shown disgusting images.

The third group were shown frightening images before watching an erotic film. And the fourth watched an erotic film and were then shown frightening images.

Images used to elicit disgust in the women included diseased or injured humans and human corpses, feces and people vomiting. The images designed to elicit fear included violent people, dangerous animals, weapons, heights, tornados and fire.

The erotic films were intended to be sexually appealing specifically to women and were produced and directed by women.

Before the experiments, all the women were asked to insert a vaginal photoplethysmograph - a clear acrylic tampon-shaped device that measures blood flow to the vagina as an indication of sexual arousal. They were also asked to report their own degree of arousal, disgust and fear after their tests.

Women exposed to disgusting images before watching an erotic film were three times less sexually aroused than those who had seen frightening images or those in the control group.

Overcoming disgust to have sex

Dr. Fleischman says: "It makes sense that sexual arousal and disgust would affect one another. Sexual arousal motivates us toward closeness with others and their bodies while disgust motivates us away." He adds:

"Given these competing motivations, every one of our ancestors had to overcome disgust in order to have sexual contact and reproduce."

The researchers found that previous evidence was mixed on the question of whether sexual arousal decreases feeling of disgust in women.

A consistent difference has been found between men and women: men are less sensitive to disgust when it comes to sex.

"Previous studies have found that men and women who are exposed to sexually explicit images report less disgust," Dr. Fleischman explains. "However, our study is the first to measure blood flow to the genitals, which is necessary for sexual arousal, and how it interacts with disgust."

The research found that women who are not very sensitive to feelings of disgust reduce their sensitivity further when sexually aroused.

By contrast, women who are highly disgust-sensitive show greater disgust when they are sexually aroused.

Dr Fleischman says: "When we are deciding whether to have sex, there are trade-offs to consider. On the one hand you must have sex to reproduce, and on the other hand sexual encounters are risky for disease transmission.

"What our results suggest is that the story is more complicated for women and that women differ in how sexual arousal changes their disgust response."

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Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs inhibit ovulation after just 10 days

The results of a new study show that diclofenac, naproxen and etoricoxib significantly inhibit ovulation in women with mild musculoskeletal pain. Of the women receiving NSAIDs, only 6.3 percent (diclofenac), 25 percent (naproxen) and 27.3 percent (etoricoxib) ovulated, compared with 100 percent of the control group.

New findings suggest that readily available non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) could have a harmful effect on fertility.

Credit: © Werg / Fotolia

The results of a study presented today at the European League Against Rheumatism Annual Congress (EULAR 2015) show that diclofenac, naproxen and etoricoxib significantly inhibit ovulation in women with mild musculoskeletal pain. Of the women receiving NSAIDs, only 6.3 percent (diclofenac), 25 percent (naproxen) and 27.3 percent (etoricoxib) ovulated, compared with 100 percent of the control group.

These findings suggest that readily available non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) could have a harmful effect on fertility, and should be used with caution in women wishing to start a family.

'After just ten days of treatment we saw a significant decrease in progesterone, a hormone essential for ovulation, across all treatment groups, as well as functional cysts in one third of patients,' said study investigator Professor Sami Salman, Department of Rheumatology, University of Baghdad, Iraq. 'These findings show that even short-term use of these popular, over-the-counter drugs could have a significant impact on a women's ability to have children. This needs to be better communicated to patients with rheumatic diseases, who may take these drugs on a regular basis with little awareness of the impact.'

NSAIDs are among the most commonly used drugs worldwide, and are taken by more than 30 million people every day. Available without prescription, NSAIDS are largely used for the treatment of pain, inflammation and fever -- all common features of rheumatic conditions.

Thirty nine women of childbearing age who suffer from back pain took part in the study, and received diclofenac (100mg once daily), naproxen (500mg twice daily) and etoricoxib (90mg once daily) or placebo. Treatment was given for 10 days from day 10 of the onset of the menstrual cycle; hormonal analysis (progesterone level) and follicle diameter were conducted via blood sample and ultra sonsography respectively. At the end of the NSAID treatment period, the dominant follicle remained unruptured in 75 percent, 25 percent and 33 percent of patients receiving diclofenac, naproxen and etoricoxib respectively. Rupturing of the dominant follicle, and subsequent release of an oocyte (unfertilised egg), is essential for ovulation to occur.

'These findings highlight the harmful effects NSAIDs may have on fertility, and could open the door for research into a new emergency contraception with a more favourable safety profile than those currently in use,' concluded Professor Sami Salman.

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Story Source:

The above post is reprinted from materials provided by European League Against Rheumatism.

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Mini-breasts grown in petri dishes New tool for cancer research

About 70,000 Women are diagnosed with breast cancer every year in Germany alone. Despite significant progress in the treatment of common types of breast cancer, some aggressive subtypes are poorly understood and remain incurable. A new experimental model opens new avenues for mammary gland biology and basic breast cancer research. Researchers are now able to create three-dimensional organoid-structures that recapitulate normal breast development and function from single patient-derived cells.

Detail of breast epithelial cells in culture undergoing ductal elongation and side-branching.

Credit: Image by Haruko Miura; Copyright HMGU

The research group, led by Dr. Christina Scheel, developed an assay whereby cultured human breast epithelial cells rebuild the three-dimensional tissue architecture of the mammary gland. For this purpose, a transparent gel is used in which cells divide and spread, similar to the developing mammary gland during puberty. Specifically, cells divide and generate hollow ducts that form a network of branches and terminate in grape-like structures. Throughout the reproductive lifespan of a woman, the mammary gland is constantly remodeled and renewed in order to guarantee milk production even after multiple pregnancies. Although their exact identity remains elusive, this high cellular turnover requires the presence of cells with regenerative capacity, i.e. stem cells. Breast cancer cells can adopt properties of stem cells to acquire aggressive traits. To determine how aggressive traits arise in breast cancer cells, it is therefore crucial to first elucidate the functioning of normal breast stem cells. For this purpose, the Scheel group provides a new powerful experimental tool.

A technological break-through

Using their newly developed organoid assay, the researchers observed that the behaviour of cells with regenerative capacity is determined by the physical properties of their environment. Jelena Linnemann, first author of the study, explains: "We were able to demonstrate that increasing rigidity of the gel led to increased spreading of the cells, or, said differently, invasive growth. Similar behaviour was already observed in breast cancer cells. Our results suggest that invasive growth in response to physical rigidity represents a normal process during mammary gland development that is exploited during tumor progression." Co-author Lisa Meixner adds that "with our assay, we can elucidate how such processes are controlled at the molecular level, which provides the basis for developing therapeutic strategies to inhibit them in breast cancer."

Another reason the mini-mammary glands represent a particularly valuable tool is, because the cells that build these structure are directly isolated from patient tissue. In this case, healthy tissue from women undergoing aesthetic breast reduction is used. Co-author Haruko Miura explains: "After the operation, this tissue is normally discarded. For us, it is an experimental treasure chest that enables us to tease out individual difference in the behavior of stem and other cells in the human mammary gland."

Experimental models that are based on patient-derived tissue constitute a corner stone of basic and applied research. "This technological break-through provides the basis for many research projects, both those aimed to understand how breast cancer cells acquire aggressive traits, as well as to elucidate how adult stem cells function in normal regeneration," says Christina Scheel, head of the study.

Background

In Germany, one in eight women is going to be diagnosed with breast cancer throughout her lifetime. In the past 30 years, the rate of newly diagnosed breast cancer cases has doubled. The reasons for this increase are unclear. Despite this greatly increased rate, mortality is declining steadily due to improved early detection and therapeutic options. Nonetheless, some aggressive subtypes of breast cancer remain poorly understood and incurable.

The aggressive behaviour of these breast cancer cells most likely originates in how the mammary gland develops and functions. The mammary gland itself consists of a structure similar in form to a bunch of grapes: a number of branching hollow ducts terminate in tiny, milk-producing pouches on one end, and the nipple on the other. This network of ducts in embedded in fatty and connective tissue which lends the breast is overall form. The mammary gland is the name-giving characteristic of mammals and provides a massive evolutionary advantage for raising offspring.

From a developmental point-of-view it is therefore essential that the highly energy-intensive process of milk production kicks in after each pregnancy. It is thought that for this purpose, the mammary gland harbours stem cells that are able to regenerate the entire mammary gland. However, how exactly such stem cells contribute to the main developmental phase of the mammary gland during puberty is not entirely clear. Without doubt, aggressive breast cancer cells activate developmental processes in an uncontrolled manner, which impacts many aspects of tumor progression. In that sense, a tumor is like an uncontrolled, regenerating organ. Importantly, elucidating how these regenerative processes are normally controlled provide the basis for the development of new targeting strategies.

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Story Source:

The above story is based on materials provided by Helmholtz Zentrum München - German Research Center for Environmental Health. Note: Materials may be edited for content and length.

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Oxytocin: What Is It? What Does It Do?

e in the brain, in the hypothalamus, and it is transported to, and secreted by, the pituitary gland, which is located at the base of the brain.¹

Chemically it is known as a nonapeptide (a peptide containing nine amino acids), and biologically, as a neuropeptide. It acts both as a hormone and as a brain neurotransmitter.

The release of oxytocin by the pituitary gland acts to regulate two female reproductive functions:^1,2

• Childbirth
• Breast-feeding.

The release of the hormone during labor makes the muscles of the uterus, womb, contract - in other words, it increases uterine motility. The release of oxytocin is triggered by the widening of the cervix and vagina during labor, and this effect is in turn increased by the subsequent contractions.³

The main role of oxytocin is summed up nicely in a research paper by obstetric and gynecology specialists Navneet Magon and Sanjay Kalra:²

"It is released in large amounts during labor, and after stimulation of the nipples. It is a facilitator for childbirth and breast-feeding."

Stimulation of the nipples results in oxytocin release and milk let-down.

Other researchers sum up the reproductive importance of oxytocin by saying it "serves the continued propagation of a species," adding that through evolution its "repertoire has expanded to maintain a central role in more complicated aspects of reproductive behavior. For these reasons, we call oxytocin the great facilitator of life."¹

Oxytocin, used as a prescription drug, is also known by the brand name Pitocin (and Syntocinon, although this is no longer on the market).⁴

Doctors prescribe oxytocin to start birth contractions or strengthen them during labor. It is also used to reduce bleeding after child delivery.^4,5 The drug also has a role in the medical termination of pregnancy or during miscarriage.⁵

Oxytocin's effects on emotion

Oxytocin is released into the bloodstream to produce its classic effects on the uterus and breast milk, but it is also released into defined regions of the brain that are involved in emotional, cognitive, and social behaviors.⁶

One review of the evidence says oxytocin "has attracted intense attention" after the discovery of its "amazing variety of behavioral functions."⁶

The review, by Inga Neumann, says oxytocin has an impact on "pro-social behaviors" and emotional responses that contribute to:⁶

• Relaxation
• Trust
• Psychological stability.

However, another review notes that the hormone does not act alone in the chemistry of love, but is "just one important component of a complex neurochemical system that allows the body to adapt to highly emotive situations."⁷

Oxytocin has been the focus of research into the biology of love.

Another review has also sounded caution, calling for research to look more to the general effects than to the specific effects of oxytocin that are being interpreted.

"After all, it is rather unlikely that any widely acting hormone or neurotransmitter will be narrowly funneled to modulate complex, high-order mental processes that are specific to social cognition," say the authors of a 2013 paper.⁸

Scientific research has nonetheless uncovered brain oxytocin's specific ability to modulate social behavior, including effects on motherly care and aggression, bonding between couples, sexual behavior, social memory, and trust.⁶

Brain oxytocin also reduces stress responses, including anxiety - and these anxiolytic effects have been demonstrated in a number of species.^6,8

One of the so-called 'love hormone' studies was published in 2012, and it examined oxytocin levels in new lovers versus those in single people. It found that there were high levels of the hormone in the first stages of romantic attachment, and these were sustained for six months.⁹

Oxytocin released during sex

In both men and women, sexual intercourse stimulates the release of oxytocin, which has a role in erection and orgasm. The reason for this is not fully understood, although in women, it has been proposed that the increased uterine motility may help sperm to reach their destination.³

Some researchers believe oxytocin may play a part in the experience of sexual orgasm, proposing a correlation between the concentration of oxytocin and the intensity of orgasm.¹⁰

Behavioral effects of oxytocin

As shown in the recent developments listed here, scientists are still busy testing the behavioral effects of oxytocin and its role in human emotions.

Recent developments about oxytocin's effects on emotion

Oxytocin: the monogamy hormone? This study, published in the journal PNAS in November 2013, examined brain scans of men who had received oxytocin or placebo via a nasal spray. The oxytocin was associated with activation of the men's reward centres in their brains, and with greater feelings of attraction to their partners versus other women in photographs. This followed a very similar study in The Journal of Neuroscience in November 2012: A hormone can help keep men faithful.

High oxytocin levels "trigger oversensitivity to emotions of others." Released in January 2014, this study in Emotionfound that people receiving oxytocin nasal spray saw facial expression of emotions in others more intensely.

Oxytocin makes you feel more extroverted. This 2011 research paper in Psychopharmacology gave results from intranasal oxytocin improving self-perception in social situations, amplifying personality traits such as warmth, trust, altruism and openness.

The hormone that allows us to love may also encourage us to lie. This 2014 study found participants given oxytocin were more likely to lie for the benefit of the group.

Oxytocin as potential psychiatric therapy

The research to uncover oxytocin's "anxiolytic and pro-social influences, beneficial to relief, reproduction, and love" is what has led scientists to describe it as a one of the "most promising neuromodulator/neurotransmitter systems of the brain for psychotherapeutic intervention and treatment of numerous psychiatric illnesses, for example social phobia, autism, andpostpartum depression."⁶

In another research paper, from 2011, the conclusion reads:¹¹

"Oxytocin is of potential use in enhancing interpersonal and individual wellbeing, and might have more applications in neuropsychiatric disorders, especially those characterized by persistent fear, repetitive behavior, reduced trust and avoidance of social interactions."

Recent development on oxytocin as potential therapy

Oxytocin activates "social" brain regions in children with autism. A research study involving 17 children with autism spectrum disorders, published in December 2013, used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to see differences created by oxytocin in brain responses to social and non-social pictures. Albeit in a small study, the researchers found "oxytocin temporarily normalized brain regions responsible for the social deficits seen in children with autism."

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10 Most Common Birth Control Pill Side Effects

The oral contraceptive pill, commonly referred to as "the pill," is a form of hormonal contraception taken by approximately 12 million women in the United States each year to prevent pregnancy.¹

The pill is a highly effective method of birth control when taken correctly.¹

Each year, 8% of women experience an unintended pregnancy while taking the pill - most commonly because they forgot to take it.

However, when taken daily at the same time, only one in 100 women will experience an unintended pregnancy within the first year of pill use.¹

There are two types of contraceptive pills, both of which contain synthetic hormones estrogen and progesterone.² Combination pills contain both hormones estrogen and progesterone whereas the "mini pill" known as the progestin-only pill contains only the hormone progestin.¹

The pill can also be taken for non-contraceptive protection to treat medical conditions such as:^2,3

"The pill" is a type of hormonal contraception that is taken by around 12 million women per year in the US to prevent pregnancy.

• Regulation of menstrual periods
• Irregular periods
• Menorrhagia (heavy periods)
• Dysmenorrhea (painful periods)
• Endometriosis
• Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) and premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD)
• Acne, hirsutism (excess hair growth) and alopecia (hair loss)
• Decreasing the risk of breast cysts, ovarian cysts, pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) and pregnancies in the fallopian tubes.

Oral contraceptives are also used as a method to prevent ovarian and endometrial cancers. Birth control pills do not prevent sexually transmitted diseases.^1-3

Common birth control side effects

The 10 most common side effects of oral contraceptives are:

1. Intermenstrual spotting: vaginal bleeding between your expected periods is experienced by approximately 50% of women using the pill, most commonly within the first 3 months of initiating the pill. Generally, this resolves in over 90% of women by their third pill pack. During this time of spotting, the pill is still effective as long as the pill has been taken correctly and none were missed. It is recommended that you contact your medical provider if you experience 5 or more days of bleeding while on your active pills or heavy bleeding for 3 or more days.³
2. Nausea: mild nausea when initially starting the pill can occur. However, nausea symptoms usually resolve over a short period of time. One solution is to try taking your pill with food or at bedtime. Seek medical help if the nausea is severe or persistent.³
3. Breast tenderness: birth control pills may cause your breasts to enlarge or become tender, which tends to improve after the first few weeks of starting the pill. However, if there is a presence of a lump or the pain is not going away, seek medical help. Reducing caffeine and salt intake can decrease breast tenderness, as can wearing a supportive bra.³
4. Headaches: the onset of new headaches should be brought to the attention of your medical provider.³
5. Weight gain: despite the failure of clinical studies to reveal that birth control pills cause weight fluctuations, some women do experience some fluid retention, especially in the breast and hip areas.³
6. Mood changes: if you are someone who has a history of depression, it is important that this is discussed with your medical provider - some women do experience depression or other emotional changes while taking the pill. It is important to contact your medical provider if you are experiencing mood changes during pill use.³
7. Missed periods: there are times when despite proper pill use, a period may be skipped or missed. Several factors can influence this such as outside stress, illness, travel or at times hormonal and or thyroid abnormalities. If a period is missed or is very light while on the pill, take a pregnancy test prior to taking your next pack of pills and call your medical provider if this continues.³
8. Decreased libido: the pill can affect your sex drive because of the hormones found in them. However, other outside factors may also cause a decrease in your libido. If this is persistent or bothersome, inform your medical provider.³
9. Vaginal discharge: some women may notice changes in vaginal discharge ranging from an overall increase to a decrease in vaginal lubrication with intercourse. Speak with your medical provider if you are concerned that there is the presence of an infection.
10. Visual changes with contact lenses: you should see your ophthalmologist if you are a contact lens wearer and notice some changes in vision or with lens tolerance during pill use.³

Some women experience side effects with "the pill" such as irregular periods, nausea, headaches, or weight change.

If you experience the side effects with the acronym "ACHES" (see below), contact your medical provider or visit an emergency room immediately as they may signify a serious condition.^3,4

• A: Abdominal/stomach pain
• C: Chest pain (as well as shortness of breath)
• H: Headaches, which are severe
• E: Eye problems such as blurred vision/loss of vision
• S: Swelling/aching in the legs and thighs (also redness, swelling or pain in the calf or thighs).

Birth control pills have also been associated with an increase in blood pressure, benign liver tumors, and a slight increase in the risk of developing cervical cancer.³

Precautions and risks while taking the pill

Combination pills do come with a particular risk for cardiovascular side effects such as heart attack, stroke and blood clots - which at times can be fatal. While blood clots are rare, they can occur. For women with a history of blood clots, heart attacks or stroke, it is advised that they do not take the combination birth control pill and speak with their medical provider about using an alternative method.¹

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) advises against the use of combination pills in women aged 35 years or older that smoke. Additional factors that increase your risk of blood clots include obesity or a family history of heart disease.¹

It is not recommended to take hormonal contraceptives if you have a personal history of liver or heart disease, uterine or breast cancer, uncontrolled blood pressure or migraines with an aura.⁴

It is important to note that combination pills with the form of synthetic progesterone called drospirenonone may have a higher risk of blood clots including deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism.^1,4

You should speak with your medical provider to see what type of birth control option is best for you.

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