Noncontraceptive benefits of oral contraceptives

Abstract

The noncontraceptive health benefits of oral contraceptives were initially summarized a decade ago. Studies conducted in the last decade confirmed the findings of earlier studies with high-dose oral contraceptives and extended them to low-dose formulations. Among the noncontraceptive health benefits first cited were reductions in menorrhagia, irregular menses, endometrial cancer, ovarian cancer, functional ovarian cysts, benign breast disease, dysmenorrhea, premenstrual tension and iron-deficiency anemia. In addition, women who used oral contraceptives were less likely to develop rheumatoid arthritis or acute salpingitis, particularly moderate or severe forms, than were women using no method of contraception. Despite the fact that such benefits were identified more than 10 years ago and despite their inclusion in oral contraceptive labeling, women today are largely unaware of the noncontraceptive health benefits associated with oral contraceptive use.