Contraceptives harm or benefit. Harm and benefit of hormonal contraceptives. Combined birth control pills: Femoden and Marvelon

Anna Mironova

Reading time: 7 minutes

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According to statistics, hormonal contraceptives provide the greatest reliability against unwanted pregnancy. Of course, if they are used correctly. But the debate on the topic - whether they are harmful or useful - will probably never subside. What effect do hormonal contraceptives have, and are they as harmful as many people think?

Modern hormonal contraceptives - what types of hormonal contraception are there?

The main types of hormonal contraception include:

Oral(tablets).
Parenteral(other ways of hormone intake, bypassing the intestines).
Ring in the vagina.
Intrauterine device, which has contraceptive properties due to the release of hormones.

As for the first type of contraception, it can be divided into:

Means with microdoses of hormones. Designed for girls who have a regular sex life, but have not yet given birth.
Means with low doses of hormones . They are also intended for women who have not given birth, but who have permanent sexual relations with their partners.
Means with medium doses of hormones . Designed for sexually active women who have given birth in middle age. And also for the treatment of certain diseases of a hormonal nature.
Means with high doses of hormones . Designed to protect against unwanted pregnancy, for a therapeutic and cosmetic effect.

The effect of hormonal contraceptives on the female body - how is the contraceptive effect achieved?

As part of modern OK (oral contraceptives) may be present progesterone, estrogen, or both (combination drug). In the presence of only progesterone, the contraceptive is called a mini-pill. These are the most sparing preparations from all OK.

How do they work?

The composition of the OK tablet is synthetic hormones (an analogue of female sex hormones), progesterone and estrogen, which are follicle maturation stimulants, a kind of brakes in the production of other hormones. That is, a pill with a small dose of these hormones is able to stop or suppress ovulation. As for the mini-pills, their action is also based on the effect of the pill on the very structure of the uterine mucosa, as well as on changes in the viscosity of the secretion of the cervical canal. The egg cannot be fixed where it is supposed to be, the function of the fallopian tubes slows down, and the spermatozoa cannot fertilize it precisely due to the friability of the endometrium and thick secretion. After stopping the drugs, all these phenomena disappear, and in 2-3 months the reproductive function is restored. If the egg after fertilization still penetrates the uterus, then changes in the structure of the endometrium do not allow the development of the embryo.
Also, with the correct use of the mini-pill, there is regulation of the menstrual cycle , getting rid of heavy bleeding and pain during menstruation, eliminating the menopause, stopping the growth of unwanted facial hair, reducing the risk of oncology, etc.

The harm and consequences of hormonal contraceptives for a woman - debunking the myths about the negative impact of hormonal contraceptives

During its existence, the hormonal method of contraception has managed to significantly acquire myths that discourage women from using it. Which myths are fiction, which ones are true?

Facts about hormonal contraception:

The first hormonal drug was created back in 1960 Mr. American scientist Pinkus. Modern COCs are analogues of progesterone and estrogen (mono-, two- and three-phase).
The advantage of three-phase COCs - low percentage of side effects , but, alas, a small number of women differ in the normal tolerance of COCs.
If the pill was not taken due to forgetfulness, then take it as soon as possible , after which the drug is continued as usual, but with additional contraception for two weeks.
Is there a relationship between complications from taking COCs and the duration of their use? According to some gynecologists, the duration of admission (until menopause) does not increase the risks with proper choice and administration of the drug . A break in the reception increases the risk of unwanted pregnancy. Another part of gynecologists insists on obligatory breaks from 3 to 6 months to provide rest to their body and return the natural “memory” to their ovaries.
The effectiveness of COCs has been proven by time . Of the 1,000 women who use the drugs for a year, 60-80 will become pregnant. Moreover, out of this number, only one woman will become pregnant due to the ineffectiveness of COCs. The cause of pregnancy for the rest will be illiterate pills.
The effect of COCs on libido is individual for each woman. Most of the weaker sex has an increase in libido due to the lack of fear of becoming pregnant. The problem of decreased libido is solved by replacing the drug with a drug with a lower dose of progesterone.
Weight gain from COCs is rare. As a rule, the opposite reaction occurs.
Selected COC preparations able to restore ovulation with some forms of endocrine infertility.
With COC you can adjust the time of the arrival of menstruation . True, this should be done after consulting a doctor.
COCs halve the risk of uterine and ovarian cancer , inflammatory diseases of the genital area and osteoporosis during menopause. But there is a downside to the coin: COC accelerates the growth of a tumor that is already in the body. Therefore, the intake of drugs without fail should be agreed with the doctor.

The latest hormonal contraceptives - the secrets of safe contraception for the modern woman

A new generation of COCs is a tool that not only reliably protects a woman from unwanted conception, but also a useful effective drug that is prevention of many diseases . The dosage of hormones in modern COCs is reduced by a hundred times, which practically reduces the risk of side effects to zero.

COC advantages:

High reliability and excellent portability.
Rapid onset of the desired effect.
Easy application.
Rapid recovery of reproductive functions after drug withdrawal.
Possibility of use for young girls.
Preventive and curative effect.
The expediency of use with a high level of male hormones.
Protection against ectopic pregnancy.

drugs cause a lot of discussion. Someone is skeptical about them and categorically against their use. Someone, on the contrary, claims that from the use of contraceptives - contraceptives feels better and notices positive changes. Undoubtedly, the harm and benefits of hormonal contraceptives are obvious, but from a medical point of view, this is called "features of the impact of birth control pills on the body."

Taking hormonal contraceptives does not give serious and life-threatening side effects. There are no health hazards even with long-term use, however, some changes in the body may occur. The harms and benefits of taking hormonal contraceptives are assessed over time.

Taking hormonal contraceptives helps to restore the hormonal balance in the female body. Some of them are prescribed by gynecologists even for the prevention of cancer, in the treatment of inflammatory processes in the female reproductive system. In addition, hormonal contraceptives have a curative effect for those who suffer from pain in the abdomen in the first days of the menstrual cycle.

Hormonal contraceptives improve the condition of the skin, hair, regulate the psycho-emotional state, which is often unstable before the onset of menstruation in women. Mood swings, a tendency to depression, irritability and insomnia - all these unpleasant symptoms can be eliminated after taking birth control pills.

The diverse effects of contraceptive pills are complemented by the main effect that they have - the prevention of pregnancy. There is no need to use condoms or other means of protection.

The harm and benefits of contraceptives are evaluated strictly individually for each woman. Who claims that from taking hormonal contraceptives, weight is rapidly gaining. Some people think that they, on the contrary, contribute to weight loss. From a medical point of view, this is due to the fact that the hormonal effect on the body is due to gestagens. These are the hormones that are part of the contraceptive hormonal contraceptives. In some preparations, there are more gestagens, in some - less. Therefore, all contraceptives are prescribed strictly individually, only after examining the female body and passing tests, including hormones.

Undoubtedly, hormonal preparations can have some kind of therapeutic effect, in particular, on the skin and the condition of the hair. It is known that as a result of hormonal disorders, some women suffer from acne. Treatment of such a problem is possible just with the help of hormonal contraceptives.

Most women face such a problem as menstrual irregularities. Contraceptive pills are able to normalize the cycle, make menstruation regular, reduce soreness.

Taking hormonal pills can reduce the risk of developing cancer. Scientists were able to conduct research and prove that the risk of oncology is reduced by 45-55%. When the tumor is already detected, hormonal contraceptives are not prescribed.

Doctors prescribe some hormonal contraceptives even in cases where it is necessary to cure infertility. Due to the fact that they contain hormones, the childbearing ability of a woman is restored. There is no evidence that long-term use of contraceptives affects the development of infertility in the future. These factors are not interrelated.

Now let's talk a little about what is negative about taking birth control pills. Firstly, the statement that some pills contain an extremely small amount of hormones is not true. Hormones in pills are still present, and the dose of hormones still enters the body. There is a possibility that a violation of the natural course of physiological processes may occur, but this is facilitated by drugs with a high content of hormones.

Basically, hormones are chemicals that are produced by the glands in our body. They are considered carriers of various information. Everyone knows that adrenaline is produced from fear or strong emotional experiences, and the hormone of happiness, serotonin, is produced from joyful experiences. All hormones together have an impact on the state of our body, on well-being and on the emotional state.

Doctors say that taking contraceptives is an artificial suppression of natural processes in the body. The instructions for the pills say that they cause the prevention of ovulation. In fact, it is simply impossible to suppress ovulation, just pills create extremely unfavorable conditions for the fertilized egg to move and attach in the uterus. Thus, every month there is something like a mini-abortion.

Birth control pills cannot protect against sexually transmitted diseases. Only condoms and a careful choice of sexual partners are suitable for this purpose.

It should be remembered that the harm and benefits of taking hormonal contraceptives are evaluated exclusively individually. In any case, no woman should independently appoint them to herself. First of all, taking any medication is a violation of the natural processes in the body, it affects the daily functioning of all organ systems.

Birth control pills are not intended for use by girls under the age of 20. Doctors allow the use of such drugs until the age of 50.

A 21st-century girl begins menstruating at 12 or 13 and often has an abortion by the age of 16. Women today face infections and diseases that their great-grandmothers did not know. Endometriosis used to be called the disease of the nuns because it occurred in women who had never had sex. And now we diagnose it even in young girls. A modern woman gives birth less, lives longer. As a result, fibroids, endometriosis, ovarian tumors, benign tumors and breast cancer occur more often.

Hormonal contraceptives for women are promoted by doctors as a solution to these problems. They stop monthly ovulation and allow the ovaries to rest, a so-called pseudo pregnancy. In addition, hormonal contraceptives with estrogen, by turning off ovulation, preserve the supply of eggs in a woman - her reproductive potential. The two main questions that worries women about these drugs: will they make me infertile and will they ruin my appearance? Many are afraid that after the abolition of artificial hormones, the body will not be able to produce its own (wean).

This is not true, if the production of her own hormones had stopped, the woman would have had manifestations of their deficiency after the pills were canceled (menopausal symptoms, such as a prolonged absence of menstruation, hot flashes, and others), but this is just not observed. The most frequent, especially in the first one to three months of admission: spotting blood and breast engorgement. Less commonly, swelling, nausea, headache, decreased libido.

Increased blood clotting, cardiovascular complications, venous thromboembolism, liver pathology. The risk is very low, about one in 10,000 women, and higher in women over 35 years of age. With these symptoms, it is important to see a doctor as soon as possible: breakthrough bleeding for more than two months, pain in the abdomen or chest, migraine, swelling, skin rashes, inflammation of the gums (when taking progestogen-containing drugs). Hormones are chemicals that the body produces to control the functioning of various organs.

Hormonal contraceptives are drugs with the strongest contraceptive effect, the probability of getting pregnant when they are taken is close to zero. They have an additional healing effect. In our country they are sold without a prescription, in the USA and Western Europe - only after consulting a doctor. Estrogen and progestogen are two female hormones that are part of contraceptives.

Coca - combined oral contraceptives, the most popular hormonal contraceptive in the world. Sold in the form of tablets, taken in cycles - for example, 21 days, then a break is made for 7 days, during which a menstrual-like reaction occurs. Coca vary in amount of estrogen - from low dose (20 mmg) to high dose (30 mmg). The less estrogen, the less side effects.

Menstrual-like reaction - short (one to two days), mild and painless spotting occurs during a seven-day break in taking hormonal contraceptives. Mini-pill - oral contraceptives, contain only progestogen. They do not have the side effects of estrogen, so they are recommended for lactating, women over 35 and women with contraindications to estrogen. The main disadvantages are unpredictable spotting and a decrease in libido.

Breakthrough bleeding is spotting. One of the most frequent and unpleasant side effects in the first six months of taking contraceptives (mainly progestogen-containing: mini-pills, the Mirena system). It is impossible to predict when they will start and when they will end, which causes discomfort (blood is an ideal environment for the development of bacteria in the vagina; the quality of sexual life decreases).

Amenorrhea is the absence of menstruation for more than six months. Almost always occurs after prolonged use of progestogen-containing contraceptives. After discontinuation of the drug, menstruation and the ability to become pregnant return in one to three months. Emergency contraception - birth control pills (postinor and escapelle) should be taken as soon as possible after unprotected intercourse, no later than 72 hours. They contain a shock dose of hormones - in ordinary coca it is distributed over 21 days. Do not use more than once every six months.

The effect of hormonal contraceptives is initially based on a lie. Pills deceive the body, artificially creating a certain hormonal background. All organs and systems are fully confident that ovulation has already occurred, and therefore do not care at all about the timely (real) maturation of the egg. No mature follicle - no pregnancy. This is clear. As well as the fact that the blood carries tableted hormones not only to the ovaries. In the article we discuss a new topic about hormonal oral contraceptives and pills.

Because for the first generation pills that ladies swallowed in the 60s of the last century, this was not a myth. High doses of estrogen really made their bodies round and feminine. But over the next few decades, the development of contraceptive drugs followed the path of reducing dosages. In the latest generation of pills, the doses of estrogen are so low that they can only lead to a slight increase in the mammary glands. And you are unlikely to be upset by the extra 100-200 g in this particular zone, right?

Now hormonal oral contraception for cosmetic purposes is used even by girls who are not sexually active. After all, acne and oily sheen are often the result of hormonal changes and high levels of male hormones. Oral contraceptives even out hormonal balance and get rid of acne. They also help to cope with hair loss on the head and prevent their growth in the wrong places - above the upper lip, on the chin and chest.

From time to time, the study of cause and effect relationships is resumed somewhere in the world - and the results are contradictory. Our main idea is this: if you are at risk, for example, have a bad heredity in terms of breast cancer, before running to the pharmacy for COCs, turn to a mammologist. And better not to one.

Studies have established and confirmed that hormonal contraceptives save from endometrial and ovarian cancer. The protective effect persists for several years after discontinuation of the drug. The risk of getting endometrial cancer is reduced by 50%, colorectal cancer and ovarian cancer - by 30% if you have been taking hormonal oral contraceptives for at least two to three years. At the same time, COCs help in the prevention of ovarian cysts, uterine fibroids and other common women's problems. The first reports that birth control pills increase the risk of thromboembolic disease appeared in 1967. The fact is that high doses of estrogen can indeed activate the blood coagulation system. Doctors generally do not prescribe COCs to women over 35 who smoke, or to those with heart disease, in order not to sum up the risks. But science does not stand still. Now there are modern oral contraceptive pills without estrogens, as well as products with a minimum amount of hormones.

A 2010 US study found that young girls taking COCs had 6% lower bone density than those who somehow managed without pills. Scientists explain this by the influence of estrogen. In a normal cycle, it fluctuates - and at the peak of its level stimulates the growth of bone mass. Against the background of contraceptives, the amount of the hormone remains even, so compaction does not occur. However, now, in parallel in several countries, new studies are underway, which show that after 40 years the situation is reversed. Your own level of estrogen drops, but the artificial one is able to protect your bones. While doctors do not give final recommendations on this issue.

No fluctuating hormones means no premenstrual syndrome. In any case, it has been proven to be less pronounced in those who are on pills. At least you won't yell at your relatives and empty your refrigerator a week before your period. In most cases, COCs increase it - moreover, simply because you stop being afraid of the consequences of sex. But talk about "lost desires" still did not arise from scratch. As you know, male sex hormones are responsible for libido. Girls with initially high levels of androgens, as a rule, are more temperamental than everyone else. But they also often have to fight acne and antennae. These girls are prescribed contraceptives with an antiandrogenic effect - and by lowering the level of male hormones, they also reduce libido. But not to zero, but to the average norm.

Oral contraceptives entered the lives of many women in the 60s of the XX century. The popularity of these means of protection against unplanned pregnancy is due to the ease of use and reliability. However, along with the advantages, such drugs have their drawbacks, contraindications and limitations. Therefore, every woman should know the rules for taking oral contraceptives.

Combined oral contraceptives, Coca, are the most effective means. The principle of their action is to suppress ovulation as a result of the immaturity of the egg, change the composition of the secret in the cervix, which prevents the passage of spermatozoa, and thin the uterine lining so that fertilized eggs cannot attach to it. Combined oral contraceptives contain synthetic analogues of the hormones progestin and estrogen.

The term "hormones" evokes in most modern women negative associations with full mustachioed victims of the use of these substances. Hormone therapy has a powerful effect on the human body and this influence can be both positive and negative. But for many people, hormonal drugs can significantly improve the quality of life and prolong it. This applies to patients with diabetes mellitus, bronchial asthma, and thyroid diseases.

Are hormone pills harmful?

The effect of different hormones on the body is not the same, so the effect of different hormonal drugs, both positive and negative, will be different. The positive or harmful effect on the body after the use of hormone therapy depends on the type of hormone in the preparation, its dosage, duration and frequency of use.

Hormonal drugs, like almost any drug, have a certain negative effect on the body. But, as a rule, this negative effect is much less than the positive result brought by the treatment of a particular disease. There are a number of diseases for which hormone therapy is the only treatment.

Why are hormonal drugs harmful?

With the development of medicine and the pharmaceutical industry, modern hormonal preparations differ significantly from those produced in the last century. If hormone therapy 20 years ago caused a lot of side effects in the form of swelling, cellulite, excessive hair growth, excess weight, then the similar effect of modern drugs is minimized. Side effects of hormonal drugs will be minimal only if they are selected correctly, based on the individual characteristics of the patient's body.

What possible harm can hormonal drugs cause? This information is contained in the instructions for use of a particular drug. A separate section "Side Effects" contains the entire list of side effects that are possible, but not required. Of these, the most common are metabolic disorders, excessive hair growth, weight gain, skin reactions, and disorders in the digestive tract.

The harm and benefits of hormonal contraceptives

For hormone therapy in women, as a rule, oral contraceptives are used, which have a contraceptive effect, and the therapeutic effect is a positive side effect. Disputes and the harm and benefits of hormones have been going on for as long as these drugs exist.

There are representatives of medicine, traditional and non-traditional areas, who categorically do not approve the use of hormonal drugs because of the irreparable harm they cause to a woman's body. The drugs suppress the natural function of the ovaries, disrupt the natural hormonal background and have dangerous side effects.

Studies in the field of the use of hormonal agents suggest that all of the above does not apply to modern drugs. They do not contain such high concentrations of hormones as the drugs of the first generations, which could cause serious harm to the body and have a mild effect on the hormonal background due to microdoses of the hormone and high-quality purification of the drug.

Acceptance of OK additionally has the following effect:

The risk of developing inflammatory and neoplastic lesions of the mammary glands and uterus is significantly reduced;

Improve the condition of hair, skin;

Reduces the likelihood of mastopathy and diseases of the heart and blood vessels;

The manifestations of PMS are facilitated, the duration of menstruation decreases and they become less painful;

The positive effect in the appointment of hormonal contraceptives is much higher than the negative effect.

If a woman has no contraindications to taking hormonal drugs, an accurate diagnosis and the appointment of an individually selected dosage, the harm of hormonal drugs is practically reduced to zero.

In the first three months of prescribing the drug, when the body gets used to it, side effects such as headache, nausea, dizziness, headache, breast engorgement, mood swings, and decreased sexual desire are possible.

Doctor of Medical Sciences, Leading Researcher at the Institute of Clinical and Experimental Lymphology of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences, doctor of the highest category, obstetrician-gynecologist at the Naedine medical center Tatyana Dergacheva I am sure that oral contraceptives will not bring anything but harm to women's health.

In the specialized literature (usually domestic, but with reference to foreign sources ten years ago), now and then there are reports that oral contraceptives, in addition to their main action - contraceptive - also have some useful properties, says Tatyana Ivanovna. - In particular, according to some gynecologists interested in the distribution of oral contraceptives, birth control pills reduce the risk of endometrial cancer, ovarian cancer, benign breast tumors.

However, recent studies conducted in this area by foreign experts clearly show that oral contraceptives can cause significant harm to a woman's health. Interestingly, those scientists who used to say that hormonal contraceptives could be helpful are now saying the opposite. There are many studies that confirm that the estrogens contained in oral contraceptives are able to activate oncogenes and trigger malignant cell growth. It is noted that the longer a woman uses contraceptives, the higher the risk of developing a malignant tumor.

For example, more recently, experts from the World Health Organization have concluded that taking oral contraceptives can provoke the development of cervical cancer in women infected with the papillomavirus. When using hormonal contraceptives for more than five years, this risk triples, and if a woman takes pills for more than ten years, the likelihood of developing cancer increases four times.

The incidence of breast cancer is on the rise all over the world. One of the reasons for the growth is oral contraceptives. There was a whole message about this at the European Breast Cancer Conference, held recently in Barcelona. The ten-year study involved scientists from Norway, Sweden and France. During this time, they analyzed the health data of over 100,000 women aged 30 to 50 years. As a result, experts came to the conclusion that if a woman has ever used birth control pills, then her risk of developing breast cancer increases by almost 30 percent. With prolonged use of oral contraceptives, the risk of breast cancer, according to them, increases up to 60 percent! At the same time, all these women took pills containing very small doses of hormones.

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Read also on the topic:

Contraception. Ten myths about hormonal contraception- First Commandment
Intrauterine device- Alena Yasulovich
Why does ovulation stop when taking birth control pills?- No abortion!
Here are your pills!- about the side effects of oral contraceptives - an interview with MD, leading researcher at the Institute of Clinical and Experimental Lymphology of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences, doctor of the highest category, obstetrician-gynecologist at the Naedine medical center Tatyana Dergacheva
The film "Contraceptives. Slaughter business"- TVC
Keep or protect?- Sergei Belozersky
Contraceptive pill. What is it?- No abortion!
Postinor (Levonorgestrel) - Postinor Facts- Abortion and its consequences
"good" pills- an interview with Marina Nekrasova, Associate Professor of the Department of Biochemistry of the Novosibirsk State Medical Academy.
Hormone therapy for menopause proved dangerous- Mednovosti.ru
Do "contraceptive spirals" protect against conception?- Monk Feognost Pushkov

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- Does this end the side effects of oral contraceptives?

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Tatyana Ivanovna, currently gynecologists are actively prescribing oral contraceptives for menstrual irregularities. They claim that as a result of treatment, the cycle is completely normalized.

I am categorically against such "treatment". Before prescribing any medicine, it is necessary to find out the cause of certain disorders and eliminate it. Oral contraceptives only create the appearance of well-being, but in fact they only aggravate the situation, drive the problem deeper. Women who have been prescribed contraceptives sooner or later still have to see a doctor, but by this time their health condition is deteriorating even more. And it's harder to help them.

In addition, there are many contraindications to the appointment of oral contraceptives. These are oncological diseases in the family, all gynecological diseases, diseases of blood vessels, heart, liver, kidneys, lipid and carbohydrate metabolism disorders, atherosclerosis, gallbladder diseases, obesity, mental illness in the immediate family. I saw a patient who developed severe depression as a result of an injectable contraceptive. The woman tried to commit suicide. It is unlikely that I would then have linked together the introduction of hormones and a depressive state, if I had not read a message from foreign experts the day before, who proved that some injectable contraceptives can really cause severe depression.

How can women protect themselves?

A socially well-off woman will never take oral contraceptives. Because she respects herself. And her pregnancy will always be planned. If in a family between a woman and a man there are harmonious relations built on mutual respect, then there are no problems in such a family. As a rule, a woman calculates the time of ovulation and refrains from sexual intercourse with a man during the period of the highest risk of becoming pregnant. Many women feel this period physically. Someone's lower abdomen aches, bloating occurs, pain can radiate (give) to the rectum, food addictions may occur - each woman has her own. But if intimacy with a man is inevitable (during this period, some women increase sexual excitability), then you can use a condom.

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Note MS. I personally know the testimony of a woman who prescribed Zoely for the hormonal correction of endometriosis. A month before starting a new cycle, she developed very severe pain in the pelvic area (“as if giving birth”) and a migraine. On this "treatment" she stopped ...

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Let's look directly at the instructions for use of one of the oral hormonal contraceptives (in principle, contraindications and side effects for all hormonal pills are the same). Pay attention to the abundance of possible deterioration in health and negative effects on the woman's body. It is distinctly clear that this means is harmful to the person.

Not to mention that it is one of the most expensive "pleasures" of not having children. The average cost of a monthly course is at least 900 - 1000 rubles.

Contraindications

Diseases associated with thrombosis (currently or in the past).

Signs of myocardial infarction (eg, angina pectoris or retrosternal pain) or stroke (eg, transient cerebrovascular accident), which are currently or have been noted in the past.

Diabetes mellitus with vascular complications.

Jaundice or severe forms of liver disease.

Current or past breast or genital cancer.

Benign or malignant tumor of the liver at present or in the past.

Vaginal bleeding of unknown cause.

Pregnancy or suspected pregnancy.

During the period of breastfeeding.

Allergy to any components of the drug.

Side effects

When taking combined oral contraceptives, irregular bleeding (spotting or breakthrough bleeding) may occur, especially during the first months of use.

Against the background of taking combined oral contraceptives in women, other undesirable effects were observed, the relationship of which with the use of drugs has not been confirmed, but not refuted.

From the digestive system: often - nausea, abdominal pain; infrequently - vomiting, diarrhea.

From the side of the central nervous system: often - asthenic syndrome, headache, decreased mood, mood swings, nervousness; infrequently - migraine, decreased libido; rarely - an increase in libido.

On the part of the organ of vision: rarely - intolerance to contact lenses (unpleasant sensations when wearing them).

From the reproductive system: often - pain in the mammary glands, engorgement of the mammary glands, menstrual irregularities, vaginal candidiasis, uterine bleeding; infrequently - hypertrophy of the mammary glands; rarely - vaginal discharge, discharge from the mammary glands.

From the side of the skin and its appendages: often - acne; infrequently - rash, urticaria; rarely - erythema nodosum, erythema multiforme.

Other: often - weight gain; infrequently - fluid retention; rarely - weight loss, hypersensitivity reactions.

As with other combined oral contraceptives, in rare cases, thrombosis and thromboembolism may develop.

In women with hereditary angioedema, estrogen use may cause or exacerbate symptoms.

Text: Evgeniya Bagma

Hormonal imbalance causes many problems in the body. And then hormonal therapy, which is widely used in medicine today, comes to the rescue. But at the same time, talk about the dangers of hormones for health does not stop. So what are hormones - panacea or harm?

The harm of hormones and their benefits

O the dangers of hormones first started talking in connection with hormone replacement therapy, which became widespread in the middle to the end of the last century, especially in the West. So, first of all, it began to be used to alleviate the symptoms of menopause, treat diseases such as dwarfism, hypothyroidism, Addison's disease, etc. Today, there are two opposing opinions: someone believes that hormone therapy is good for a person (especially for women) , others talk about the dangers of such and believe that such therapy can provoke many diseases, as well as obesity.

The last statement has a right to exist - it has already been established that hormones can increase the likelihood of breast cancer, increase the risk of thrombosis, etc. At the same time, medicine does not stand still, and hormonal drugs used several years ago differ from modern drugs - they are made using more advanced technologies, undergo a better degree of purification. Another example is hormonal therapy during menopause, which helps a woman to keep fit during this difficult period and not gain weight. On the one hand, hormones really cope with this task, but on the other hand, if a woman has already begun to recover, they can, on the contrary, only accelerate weight gain. As for the development of cancer cells, combined estrogen-gestagen preparations can cope with this side effect.

One of the reasons why some doctors are of the opinion about the harm of hormones is the ambiguity of the dosage. The level of certain hormones in the human body is not a constant value, since in the course of life and depending on various conditions, their content can fluctuate greatly. Therefore, treatment should be prescribed very carefully, taking into account individual characteristics, constantly monitoring the increase or decrease in hormone levels. But, often, neither patients nor doctors have the opportunity and time for such careful monitoring, therefore, in most cases, only average doses are prescribed, which can lead to excessive use of hormonal drugs, and the harm from such therapy will be unequivocal. At the same time, do not forget that our body is quite smart and is able to independently remove excesses of certain substances. But this happens only if all its internal systems work without failures, which, alas, is rarely to be expected. In addition, hormonal drugs can simply become addictive, and the endocrine glands simply become "lazy" to produce hormones on their own.

When is the risk of hormone harm justified?

Hormone therapy is perceived as an extreme, saving measure, used only when all other methods have failed, and the risk of complications or consequences of the disease is higher than the risk of complications from hormone treatment. It is very important that the medicines are correctly selected. The use of bioidentical hormones is recommended - they are a kind of "golden mean". As for hormonal contraceptives, they should also be selected individually, taking into account the characteristics of the woman, the state of her hormonal background and under the supervision of her doctor. In diseases of the upper gastrointestinal tract, gastritis and ulcers, hormonal patches or fast-absorbing tablets are recommended so that penetration into the stomach can be avoided. The risk of hormonal harm also greatly increases the indiscriminate and long-term use of drugs - usually a certain period is enough for the balance to return to normal. Continuous use of hormones is prescribed only if, for example, a woman has undergone an operation to remove an ovary.

The possible harm of hormones does not mean that they should be completely abandoned. They should simply be used only after consultation and under the supervision of a doctor, otherwise you may not only not help, but also greatly harm your body and worsen your health.