Using birth control methods can prove to be a blessing for couples who wish to prevent unwanted pregnancies. However, while they do help in keeping pregnancies at bay, they can also have some side-effects. So, before you pick a method, here are the pros and cons of using birth control measures you should know about.

Pros of using birth control measures

• Regularizes menstrual cycle

While weighing the pros and cons of using birth control measures, it is important to know that the benefits of some of these methods go beyond preventing unwanted pregnancies. Some hormonal birth control measures help to regulate hormones in the body during the menstrual cycle. This regulation of hormones can fight various problems such as irregularity in periods or heavy bleeding during periods.

• Less pain during periods

Around 31% of women use birth control pills to experience less menstrual pain. These pills are effective in preventing ovulation. This means, when there is no ovulation, there is no pain felt by the uterus during contractions.

• Fight hormonal acne

Hormonal birth control measures can fight acne caused due to hormonal fluctuations in the body. Birth control pills that contain progesterone and estrogen (combination pills) are most effective in fighting this type of acne.

Cons of using birth control pills

• Normalizing menstrual cycle can take time

Birth control pills have to be taken every day. Once you stops taking pills, normalizing menstrual cycle can take several months. In case regular menstrual cycle is not normalized in six months, it is best to consult a doctor.

• Clotting of blood

In some women, birth control methods can increase the risk of blood clots. Especially women who smoke, are over 35 years of age, have high cholesterol levels, high blood pressure problems, diabetes, and unhealthy body weight are at greater risk of developing blood clots.

• Need for minor surgery

Birth control measures that use implants can require minor surgery to install and remove them. Some other side-effects of these birth control methods include irregular menstrual cycles, mood swings, headaches, an increase in body weight, facial hair growth, and acne.

• Skin irritation

Some birth control methods, such as a birth control patch, can cause skin irritation. It might come off and go unnoticed completely. Also, these birth control methods can only prevent pregnancies and not sexually transmitted diseases.

Now that you know about the pros and cons of using birth control measures analyze them before choosing one.