Review, 2011
What health benefits do birth control pills have?
Birth control pills reduce symptoms of heavy periods and period pain, lower PMDD symptoms, reduce acne, and lower the risk of ovarian and endometrial cancer. Modern pills have lower estrogen doses than older ones and carry less cardiovascular risk.
What they did
Review article summarizing the non-contraceptive health benefits of combined oral contraceptives established over 50 years since their introduction.
What they found
Estrogen dose in birth control pills has decreased from over 100 micrograms to less than 30 micrograms. Non-contraceptive benefits include improvement of menorrhagia (heavy periods) and dysmenorrhea (period pain), reduction in premenstrual dysphoric disorder symptoms, and decreased acne. Birth control pills prevent pregnancy-related deaths. Use of birth control pills before menopause reduces the risk of ovarian and endometrial cancer after menopause. Decreased ovarian cyst formation occurred with higher-dose pills but not with modern low-dose pills. Cardiovascular risks have decreased due to the lower estrogen dose.
What it means for you
Birth control pills offer many health benefits beyond pregnancy prevention, especially modern low-dose formulations. This is a review of 50 years of evidence rather than new research. Individual benefits may vary, and the review does not provide details about effect sizes or which formulations work best for specific conditions.
>100 to <30 mcg
Estrogen dose decrease over 50 years
About the study
- Original title
- The state of hormonal contraception today: established and emerging noncontraceptive health benefits
- Authors
- Maguire K, Westhoff C
- Journal
- American journal of obstetrics and gynecology
- Year
- 2011
- Study design
- Review
- What was tested
- Combined oral contraceptive pills
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.1016/j.ajog.2011.06.056
Topics
Related studies
Systematic review, 2023
What hormonal treatments have been tested for PMDD, menstrual migraine, and catamenial epilepsy?
Systematic review, 2023
How common are menstrual cycle problems and PMS or PMDD in female athletes?
Randomised trial, 2008
Does drospirenone with ethinyl estradiol birth control help PMDD?
Survey study, 2025
How do PMS and PMDD affect work performance, and do birth control pills help?
Review, 2020
Does progesterone help or harm women's mood?
Randomised trial, 2017
Does Sepranolone reduce symptoms of severe premenstrual syndrome (PMDD)?