Oral contraceptives were originally marketed with the aim of preventing pregnancy, but the famous pill is also one of the best treatment options for a series of very frequent pathologies in women of childbearing age, generally caused by some imbalance in the hormonal balance.
We have spoken with Ruth Aguiar Couto, gynecologist from the Ron Obstetrics and Gynecology Team at Quironsalud A Coruña Hospital, about all these uses of the contraceptive pill:
Acne and hirsutism
Acne and hirsutism – increased hair – are skin manifestations related to excess androgens in the blood or to a greater sensitivity of tissue receptors to these hormones.
Acne is a very common condition in adolescence, at which time it appears with a probability of between 35 and 90%, and occurs more frequently in men. However, although acne is less common in adulthood, at this stage it affects more women than men.
Hirsutism appears in 5-10% of women of reproductive age and is defined as the presence of terminal hair in locations where it is not usually found in women, such as on the face, cheek or on the upper lip, as well as in mammary areola and linea alba.
Polycystic ovary syndrome
Polycystic ovary syndrome is the most common disease affecting the endocrine glands in women of childbearing age, with an incidence that ranges between 6-15%. It is a complex pathology whose main manifestations are the increase in androgens and the absence of ovulation.
Associated with this disease, other complications such as increased insulin, insulin resistance or obesity may appear. It is a chronic disease that is usually diagnosed in adolescence due to irregular menstrual cycles and has medium-term consequences, such as infertility , and long-term, such as metabolic syndrome, and an increased risk of endometrial cancer.
Heavy menstrual bleeding
It is defined as an excessive loss of menstrual blood that interferes with normal physical activity, or worsens the quality of life of women both socially and emotionally. According to the World Health Organization, between 8 and 27% of women of childbearing age suffer from it , and approximately 10% of specialized gynecological consultations are related to this problem. It usually occurs in adolescence and during the period preceding menopause, and anemia associated with this condition also occurs very frequently.
Dysmenorrhea and endometriosis
Endometriosis is a chronic gynecological pathology that involves the presence of active endometrial tissue in locations external to the uterine cavity, which produces a chronic inflammatory reaction.
It is estimated that it affects between 2 and 10% of women of reproductive age, although it can be asymptomatic up to 15-30%, so it is difficult to estimate its real incidence. Its main symptom is pain, which can present itself in many different ways: dysmenorrhea (pain with periods), pelvic pain, dyspareunia (pain with sexual intercourse), dysquecia (pain with defecation) that become more evident and intense during the menstruation; they tend to improve after menopause or during pregnancy. In addition, endometriosis is related to infertility in up to 25% of cases.
Premenstrual syndrome
Premenstrual syndrome consists of a set of symptoms and physical and emotional signs of sufficient intensity to alter the vital activity of the woman and that usually appear or increase up to three weeks before menstruation; It can present as pelvic pain, emotional lability and irritability, difficulty concentrating, and tiredness. These symptoms are relieved or disappear shortly after the start of menstruation, with no other justifying cause.
Functional hypothalamic amenorrhea
It is characterized by the absence of menstruation secondary to situations such as low weight, stress or intense exercise. Amenorrhea occurs as a consequence of the suppression of the secretion of gonadotropins, LH and FSH, and a decrease in estrogens, which entails a hormonal situation similar to that of prepubertal, causing anovulation as well as an affectation of the general health of these women. It is common among high-level athletes or in women with disorders such as anorexia.
Note: Ruth Aguiar Couto, works in the Quironsalud Hospital unit directed by Roque Devesa, a member of Top Doctors
