[Non contraceptive benefits of oral contraception]

Both women and the medical profession underrate the non-contraceptive benefits of oral contraception, imbued as they are with its sole deleterious effects, such as thromboembolic ones, in particular. However, the pill is quite an efficient means of preventing against troubles of the menstrual cycle, with a betterment of cycle regularity, a diminishing of menstrual flux and a lowering of the frequency and the severity of primary dismenorrhoea. A review of the literature also demonstrates that oral contraception reduce by 40-50% the incidence of endometrial and ovarian cancer, inclusive of women with a previous history, or genetic predispositions. This effect is correlated with time of use and continues until 10 years or more after stopping taking the pill. Also, the positive part of the pill may well be considered as far as colorectal cancer is concerned, with a 40% or so reduction in risk, by means of decreasing bile acids in the colon. Other benefits of oral contraception have been documented, such as prevention of postmenopausal osteopenia when used during perimenopause, decrease in the incidence of adenofibromas, uterine fibromyomas, fibrocystic mastosis and uterine adnexial infections, and, finally, a favourable effect on acne. Preventive action of the pill on rheumatoid arthritis is debatable, the current feeling being that it diminishes severity as well as symptomatology more than risk of occurrence.