Does using birth control delay menopause? Does it increase the risk of breast cancer or heart disease in menopausal or perimenopausal women? After many years on the Pill, how will I know it’s safe to go off it?
Birth control and menopause: what do we need to know?
For answers to our birth-control-and-menopause questions, we turned to Dr. Sherry Ross, award-winning OBGYN and author of the book >She-ology, a look into women’s health beyond the doctor’s office.
Dr. Sherry Ross
For those in perimenopause, should we stop taking the Pill?
“First,” Dr. Sherry told us, “be sure you understand this: until you’ve had no periods for a year, you can still get pregnant.
“Part of the confusion is around definitions: The true definition of ‘menopause’ is when you don’t have a period for one full year, but many women suffer from disruptive symptoms for a few years leading up to full cessation of periods—that’s called ‘perimenopause.’ As I said, until you are officially in menopause—meaning no periods for a full year—you can potentially get pregnant, so be sure to use some form of contraception. If you are single and dating while in menopause, you may not have to worry about getting pregnant, but you do have to protect yourself against sexually transmitted infections, so make sure your partner wears a condom.”
So, re: birth control, keep on keeping on until one year with no periods, and re: condoms, always always always outside of committed, monogamous relationships. Check.
Do birth control pills or using a hormonal IUD help with perimenopause?
“ Oral contraceptives and an IUD like Mirenacan mask some of the symptoms of perimenopause and menopause,” Dr. Sherry told us. “That’s one of the benefits. Women on the Pill may have fewer, less-intense hot flashes, more ‘normal’ periods when other women are all over the menstrual map, and they might have more modulated emotional swings, which can be a huge benefit in their personal and professional lives. That’s why many doctors—myself included—prescribe low-estrogen birth control pills women having a rough menopause and don't smoke or to make the transition into menopause easier.”
Does birth control delay menopause?
Short answer: No. Here’s why:
“Menopause is a time when your ovaries stop producing estrogen and your female hormone reserves are depleted. Known factors that can affect what age you enter menopause include your genetic predisposition, knowing when your mom went through the change, chromosomal abnormalities such as Turner Syndrome, very thin or obese women, long smoking history, needing chemotherapy or radiation therapy, those with autoimmune diseases and epilepsy.
“It’s clear that short- and long-term stress, such as extreme weight loss and weight gain, can offset your hormones, causing irregular periods. The extent this type of significant stress has on your endocrine system, causing hormone adrenal depletion and possibly affecting menopause, is not as clear.
“There is an association between extreme and long-standing exercising causing weight loss which can offset your hormones and cause early menopause. Excessive exercising creates a hormonal imbalance, causing irregular ovulations. It’s less likely short-term exercising mixed in with months of not exercising could cause a cascade of events leading to an early hormonal depletion.
“So there are some things that can bring on early menopause, but being on the birth control pill does not affect when you begin menopause. The Pill can mask the symptoms of menopause and, as I said, many women depend on it to help ease the transition into menopause.”
If we’ve been taking oral contraceptives for 20+ years, how will we know if perimenopause has started?
“The best way to know if you are in menopause while taking the birth control pill is to check your hormonal levels at the end of the pill-free week. Some women may even notice hot flashes during the pill-free/placebo week since they are not taking estrogen that’s normally in the active pills. Your doctor can conduct a simple blood menopause test that determines if your follicle-stimulating hormone level (FSH) has reached menopausal levels.”
If you need a trusted opinion, determine if medication is right for you, and possible prescription support. Book an appointment with one our Gennev menopause-certified gynecologist doctors here.
Are there health risks to continuing to take the Pill?
Says Dr. Sherry: “As long as you’re not a smoker over the age of 35, and you don’t have any contraindications of being on the Pill (high blood pressure, a history of blood clots, liver disease, breast or uterine cancer, strokes or migraine headaches), there are no health risks to taking the Pill during the first couple of years of menopause. The birth control pill stabilizes your hormones and keeps you physically and mentally balanced.”
And, according to Dr. Sherry, there’s even more good news.
Wait. There’s good news? About menopause?
“There’s evidence that taking birth control pills reduces the risk the risk of ovarian and uterine cancers. It may also help with rheumatoid arthritis.”
OK, that’s all terrific, but there have to be drawbacks.
What are the risks?
Said Dr. Sherry: “As I said, hormonal birth control is not for women who smoke, particularly if they’re 35 or older. Birth control pills may increase your risk of strokes and blood clots, and that risk is exponentially higher for smokers over 35. Yet another reason to quit!”
We completely agree. Anything else?
“Studies are still being conducted into hormonal birth control and breast cancer. But unless a woman has a history of breast cancer or other factors that make her high risk, she should feel comfortable taking low-dose birth control pills to control perimenopausal or menopausal symptoms,” Dr. Sherry told us.
“The best first step is to have a frank and open discussion with your menopause doctor. And don’t be embarrassed or shy—I can tell you from personal experience that almost nothing shocks a doc! Menopause is a normal, natural process and part of life, though women may experience it differently. Your doctor is here to help you understand what’s happening and alleviate symptoms that are interfering with your quality of life. There are solutions. You can feel better. And that’s the best news of all.”
Sheryl A. Ross, M.D., “Dr. Sherry,” is an award-winning OBGYN, author, entrepreneur and women’s health expert. The Hollywood Reporter named her as one of the best doctors in Los Angeles, Castle Connolly named her as a Top Doctor in the specialty of Obstetrics & Gynecology, and she was selected as a 2017 Southern California Super Doctor. Dr. Sherry continues the conversation of women’s health and wellness in her monthly newsletters and on DrSherry.com.
Dr. Sherry Ross blogs for Huffington Post, Maria Shriver, Greatist, SheKnows, HelloFlo, Today Show, All Things Menopause, and Gurl, and we are thrilled to welcome her to the Gennev community!
We can help you get your questions answered about menopause
- Meet with a Gennev board-certified gynecologist who is a menopause specialist - they are used to having frank and open discussions about menopause, and can offer a trusted opinion, determine if medication is right for you, and provide prescription support.
- Try Vitality, our #1 daily multi-vitamin supplement is packed with nutrients that support your whole body including mood, energy, stress response, immune health, joint pain, and inflammation. 96% of women report having more energy after just 2-weeks with Vitality.
The information on the Gennev site is never meant to replace the care of a qualified medical professional. Hormonal shifts throughout menopause can prompt a lot of changes in your body, and simply assuming something is “just menopause” can leave you vulnerable to other possible causes. Always consult with your physician or schedule an appointment with one of Gennev's telemedicine doctors before beginning any new treatment or therapy.
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