---
title: Do hormonal contraceptives have benefits beyond preventing pregnancy?
description: Yes. Combined oral contraceptives can reduce heavy periods, anemia, and PMDD symptoms. Several other contraceptive methods also offer additional health benefi
url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/non-contraceptive-benefits-of-hormonal-and-intrauterine-reversible-contraceptive-2015/
---

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- Do hormonal contraceptives have benefits beyond preventing pregnancy?

Review, 2015

# Do hormonal contraceptives have benefits beyond preventing pregnancy?

Yes. Combined oral contraceptives can reduce heavy periods, anemia, and PMDD symptoms. Several other contraceptive methods also offer additional health benefits.

 Strong study design

Women using or considering hormonal and intrauterine contraceptive methods (review)

## What they did

Searched medical databases from 1980 to July 2014 for published research on non-contraceptive benefits of hormonal and intrauterine contraceptive methods.

## What they found

Combined oral contraceptives help control heavy menstrual bleeding and anemia, reduce the risk of endometrial, ovarian and colorectal cancer, and reduce PMDD symptoms. Levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine systems control heavy bleeding, anemia, and endometrial cancer risk and reduce pain from endometriosis and adenomyosis. Depot medroxyprogesterone acetate helps manage pain from sickle cell disease and endometriosis. Etonogestrel implants reduce endometriosis pain. Copper intrauterine devices reduce endometrial and cervical cancer risk.

## What it means for you

Many forms of birth control provide medical benefits beyond pregnancy prevention, including for PMDD and heavy periods. However, many doctors and patients focus mainly on side effects and safety rather than these potential benefits.

1980-2014

Years of research reviewed

5

Databases searched for evidence

## About the study

Original title Non-contraceptive benefits of hormonal and intrauterine reversible contraceptive methods Authors Bahamondes L, Valeria Bahamondes M, Shulman LP Journal Human reproduction update Year 2015 Study design Review What was tested Various hormonal and intrauterine contraceptive methods Read the paper [doi.org/10.1093/humupd/dmv023](https://doi.org/10.1093/humupd/dmv023)

## Topics

[Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD)](https://niyora.com/research/topics/condition-pmdd/)[Low mood and depression](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-depression-mood/)[Pain and headache](https://niyora.com/research/topics/symptom-pain/)[Oral contraceptives and drospirenone](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-hormonal-contraceptives/)[Pregnancy and postpartum](https://niyora.com/research/topics/comorbidity-postpartum/)[Endometriosis](https://niyora.com/research/topics/comorbidity-endometriosis/)

Research tells you what helps on average. Niyora helps on the day it hits.

Calm down, see it another way, and decide what to say, with a PMS and PMDD app built by a doctor.

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