Polycystic Ovarian Disease, also known as Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome or PCOS, affects approximately one in 10 women in the United States. There is no cure for PCOS, so treatment is limited to addressing the symptoms of the disease. Birth control is used to treat symptoms of Polycystic Ovarian Disease.
Hormones
Hormonal birth control is used to regulate hormones that are unbalanced due to PCOS. A combination pill can be used to regulate estrogen and progesterone.
Cysts
Birth control is used to regulate the formation of cysts on the ovaries. The estrogen contained in the birth control shrinks the cysts.
Acne
Women with PCOS are prone to suffer from acne and oily skin. Hormonal birth control regulates the production of hormones that cause the oil glands to overwork.
Anovulation
The hormones in birth control also control ovulation. Many women with PCOS are anovulatory and do not ovulate on their own.
Shedding Uterine Lining
Because many women who have PCOS do not experience a regular menstrual cycle, the lining of the uterus builds thickly. This can put women at risk of endometrial cancer. Birth control regulates the menstrual cycle, allowing the lining to shed as normal.
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