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The Pill May Lower Ovarian Cancer Risk
You already know the Pill is great for regulating your cycle and keeping babies at bay, but it also has a host of other amazing health benefits. According to a recent analysis in the journal Obstetrics & Gynecology, women who use oral contraceptives have a lower risk of developing ovarian cancer—and the longer you take it, the lower your risk.
Researchers looked at 24 studies from January 1990 to June 2012. They found that women who had ever used oral contraceptives—any type—had a 27 percent lower risk of being diagnosed with ovarian cancer than women who had never taken the Pill. And women who had been on the Pill for 10 years or more saw a reduced risk of more than 50 percent!
So what’s behind this association? Researchers still aren’t entirely sure, says lead study author Laura Havrilesky, MD, associate professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Duke University School of Medicine. One theory is that halting ovulation has a protective effect on the ovaries, though other theories mention a possible hormonal effect on the fallopian tubes, which is where many aggressive forms of ovarian cancer begin, says Havrilesky. Regardless of the mechanism, it’s a pretty great side effect if you’re already planning to be on the Pill.
That said, experts warn that you shouldn’t go on birth control just to reduce your risk since the average woman’s chances of being diagnosed with ovarian cancer is just 1.7 percent, says Havrilesky. Plus, previous research has linked long-term birth control use with a slightly increased risk of breast cancer. Essentially, this is one added benefit that can be weighed against other benefits—and drawbacks—of the Pill, says Havrilesky. However, if you have a family history or known genetic mutation that puts you at an increased risk of ovarian cancer and you’re already in the market for contraception, it may be worth talking to your doctor about going on the Pill.
Check out all the other perks that come with your pack of pills:
7 Benefits of Hormonal Birth Control
How the Pill Affects Your Body
The Best Birth Control For Your Body
How the Pill Affects Your Attraction
5 Surprising Side Effects of the Pill
photo: Fuse/Thinkstock
More from Women’s Health:
What Causes Ovarian Cancer?
Ovarian Cancer
Could Pain Relievers Lower Your Ovarian Cancer Risk?
A Libido-Boosting Pill for Women May Be Coming Soon
Having trouble getting in the mood? A quick fix might be on the way. Two new drugs are currently being tested to treat female sexual dysfunction. Fingers crossed—women may even get their own version of the little blue pill in just a few years!
A research company in the Netherlands called Emotional Brain has been conducting clinical trials in both the Netherlands and the U.S., and they hope to present these findings to the FDA soon. They found that there are two main causes of Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder (HSDD), one of the main diagnoses of low sex drive in women. HSDD is either caused by low attention to sexual cues (loss of interest in sex) or maladaptive sexual inhibitory mechanisms (increased inhibitions usually stemming from bad experiences with sex), says Henrik Rasmussen, MD, PhD, chief medical officer for the Emotional Brain study. Basically, it’s a lot more complicated than erectile dysfunction in men, which is why it’s been so hard to find a treatment that works.
Both new drugs contain testosterone to boost libido, but they work differently to treat the two causes of HSDD. Lybrido contains a combination of testosterone and sildenafil (a drug also used in Viagra, which increases blood flow to the genitals) to treat women who’ve lost interest in sex, says Rasmussen. This treats the issue both locally (by increasing blood flow down below) and psychologically (by amping up testosterone to boost libido). While some women have already been taking Viagra off-label to boost arousal, they’re only getting the increased blood flow without any psychological component. “Testosterone is probably the most potent driver of libido,” says Rasmussen.
The other pill, Lybridos, contains testosterone and buspirone (a drug used to treat anxiety), to decrease women’s inhibitions about sex. This is crucial for women whose issues may stem from bad experiences or sexual abuse. “If you only gave them testosterone alone, you increase libido but because of the bad experiences, they’ll block it,” says Rasmussen. “This way, they’re getting the full benefit of testosterone.”
Another unique aspect of these pills is that they’re taken orally (dissolved under the tongue) and start working between one to six hours after you take them, according to Rasmussen. Compare that to Viagra, which kicks in for men in about 30 minutes and lasts up to four hours. It would basically allow women to boost their arousal (almost) exactly when they want it, without having to worry about any side effects from taking testosterone long term, says Rasmussen.
While the drugs are still in clinical trials (along with a nasal spray intended to increase your libido), researchers are hopeful that they’ll be able to approach the FDA with their data soon. They anticipate that the drug could be available as early as 2015, according to Emotional Brain’s website.
Until then, check out our tips for amping up your desire without a pill:
14 Sexy Tricks to Boost Your Libido
The Simple Way to Boost Arousal
photo: iStockphoto/Thinkstock
Do You Think the Pill Should Be Available OTC?
The debate over whether or not emergency contraception should be sold over-the-counter is raging. But what about your everyday B.C.? Sixty-two percent of women support over-the-counter access to birth control pills, according to a new nationally representative survey.
To examine the demand for hormonal contraception without a prescription, researchers surveyed 2,046 women across the country who were considered at risk of unintended pregnancy—meaning they had had sex with a man in the past year, weren’t pregnant or trying to become pregnant, hadn’t delivered a baby in the last two months, weren’t sterilized, and didn’t have a partner who was sterilized. Not only did 62.2 percent say they’re in favor of OTC birth control, but about 30 percent of the respondents who weren’t currently using birth control or were on a less effective method (such as condoms alone) said they would likely start using birth control pills if they were offered OTC.
A big benefit that would result from birth control pills being sold OTC: easier, more convenient access—which could potentially mean a decrease in the unintended pregnancy rate. No more jumping through hoops or missing half-days of work to get your Rx re-written.
On the other hand, concerns about OTC BC include fears that women who shouldn’t be on birth control pills for health reasons would take them—like women who smoke or have a history of migraines. Another concern is that women wouldn’t visit the gynecologist for pap smears or STI testing if they weren’t also visiting for a pill scrip.
That being said, in a committee opinion released last November, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) threw their support behind the push for OTC oral contraceptives, writing, “Weighing the risks versus the benefits based on currently available data, OCs should be available over-the-counter.”
And now, from this nationally representative survey, we know that the majority of women support birth control pills hitting store shelves, too. But if you’re part of that majority, don’t expect rollouts in the near future: “There’s a lot that needs to happen in order for birth control pills to go over the counter,” says Eve Espey, MD, MPH, a professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the University of New Mexico and chair of ACOG’s Committee on Health Care for Underserved Women. A pharmaceutical company would have to sign on, pills would have to be studied in an OTC setting, and the FDA would have to approve the move, says Espey.
TELL US: Are you for or against over-the-counter birth control pills? Would you get refills for—or get started on—the pill that way if it were an option? Share your thoughts in the comments section below!
photo: iStockphoto/Thinkstock
More from Women’s Health:
7 Awesome Benefits of Birth Control
Caution: Birth Control and Migraines Don’t Mix
Side Effects of Birth Control
BREAKING: The Morning After Pill May Soon Be OTC
In breaking birth control news, a federal judge has ordered the FDA to make emergency contraceptives available over the counter and without any point-of-sale or age restrictions. That means that all levonorgestrel-based emergency contraceptives (including Plan B, Plan B One-Step, and its generics) would be available without a script to women of all ages (previously, women under 17 had to get an Rx from their doc). Even more exciting: It’ll be available on actual store shelves—right next to the condoms and pain relievers—rather than behind the pharmacy counter. And as anyone who has had to frantically search for a 24-hour pharmacy or deal with a judgy pharmacist can tell you—this is huge!
“Today is an enormous victory for all women,” says Susannah Baruch, interim president and CEO of Reproductive Health Technologies Project. “This decision is giving every woman and couple easier access to a safe and effective birth control option.”
Back in 2011, the FDA planned to make emergency contraception available OTC for women of all ages, but that recommendation was overturned by Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius. In his decision today, Judge Edward Korman of the District Court of Eastern New York wrote that those restrictions were “arbitrary, capricious, and unreasonable.”
Unfortunately, this doesn’t necessarily mean that Plan B will be out on store shelves tomorrow. The Justice Department now has 30 days to make an appeal, though experts believe they’ll have a hard time making a case for it. If there aren’t any appeals, the FDA will then reach out to the manufacturers of Plan B and its generics to update their labeling to reflect these changes, says Baruch. “There is no exact timeline, but we wouldn’t expect there to be too many more delays,” says Baruch.
So what can you expect if all goes according to plan? Essentially, you could buy emergency contraception from any store that sells other OTC medications without having to chat up a pharmacist. “We no longer have to find on a Sunday morning or a Saturday night an open pharmacy counter with a pharmacist on duty,” says Susan Wood, PhD, associate professor of health policy and of environmental and occupational health at George Washington University. “You can purchase it as you would any other over-the-counter product.” And in terms of cost, the price will likely stay the same as it was behind the counter. The only difference will be for women who might have had a prescription for the drug and therefore might have had this covered under their insurance, says Wood. Those women will now have to pay the actual retail cost, which is typically around $ 50.
While we still don’t have a clear ETA for emergency contraception on drugstore shelves, the new ruling sends a message that access to birth control is something that should not come with limitations. “This is a stamp of approval for its safety,” says Baruch. “I hope we will not see any more unnecessary restrictions.”
photo: iStockphoto/Thinkstock
More from Women’s Health:
6 Things You Need to Know About the Morning After Pill
Your Guide to Emergency Contraception
Are Your Birth Control Rights Endangered?
Does the Pill Decide Who You Date?
Pop quiz time: Look at the pictures below and pick the man you find the most attractive in each row. We know, it’s hard, but focus on physical attraction alone—not how much you loved them in that movie or how funny they may be:
Zac Efron
photo: andersphoto/Shutterstock
LeBron James
photo: s_bukley/Shutterstock
Jude Law
photo: cinemafestival / Shutterstock
Gerard Butler
photo: Jaguar PS / Shutterstock
Jesse Williams
photo: Helga Esteb / Shutterstock
Javier Bardem
photo: Featureflash / Shutterstock
Did you pick more men from the left column than you did from the right column? If you’re currently on hormonal birth control, your preferences may have been skewed by your pill. Women are more likely to prefer men with less masculine features when they’re taking oral contraceptives, according to a new study published in Psychoneuroendocrinology. If you stop to think about it, that’s pretty big—it means you may choose to pair off with a different guy than you normally would if you’re taking the Pill!
In the first of two experiments, researchers looked at whether or not facial preferences changed after women started taking birth control. An experimental group of 18 women and a control group of 37 women were asked to manipulate images of male and female faces to be the most physically attractive, and then they were asked to complete the same test three months later. At the beginning of the study, none of the women were on birth control. But after the experimental group started taking the Pill, their preferences changed dramatically. Women tended to prefer less masculine men after being on hormonal birth control for a few months, says Robert Burriss, PhD, one of the authors of the study and a research fellow at the University of Northumbria in Newcastle, UK. “We also tested a control group of women who didn’t start taking the Pill, and their preferences remained the same, so we can be pretty sure it’s the Pill that’s causing this change,” says Burriss.
Okay, so the Pill has an impact on which guys you’re more likely to ogle. But does it actually impact your choice in boyfriends? In the second experiment, researchers looked at 85 couples who met while the woman was on birth control and 85 couples who met while the woman wasn’t on the Pill. The guys’ photos were given to a group of participants to judge for relative masculinity (they were looking at factors like a defined jaw, a larger lower face width, and eyebrow prominence). Then the researchers made a composite face for each group of men and gave that to participants to judge. The results showed that the partners of women who were not taking birth control were significantly more masculine than the partners of women who were taking birth control. So if you were on the Pill when you met your boyfriend or husband, there’s a chance that your attraction to him was skewed by your birth control. Weird, right?
“For over a decade now we’ve known that women tend to prefer more masculine men during the fertile phase of their menstrual cycles, around ovulation,” says Burriss. You can blame these shifts on your swaying hormone levels, particularly estrogen and progesterone. “But taking the Pill knocks out this natural hormone variation and eliminates the fertile phase,” says Burriss. “Not only does this stop a woman from being able to conceive, it also stops her from thinking like we would expect a fertile woman to think.” And while they only looked at oral contraceptives, their research suggests that this might apply to other forms of hormonal birth control, too—like the ring or the patch.
It may be a little weird to think about, but don’t toss your pill pack just because you’re worried about it altering your preference in guys. Like most side effects of the Pill, these little changes are likely worth all the other health benefits you get. Check out more ways that birth control may affect your body:
How Birth Control Interferes With Your Body
5 Surprising Effects of the Pill
The Best Birth Control For Your Body
The Positives to Being on the Pill
Will I Gain Weight On the Pill?
thumbnail photo: iStockPhoto/Thinkstock
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Love at First Sight? Or Just Lust?
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6 Things You Need to Know About the Morning-After Pill
Whether you suffered from a condom mishap or a total lapse in judgment, having a backup plan is key when it comes to preventing unwanted pregnancy. And research shows that more women are taking advantage of that backup: Emergency contraception use rose from 4.2 percent of sexually-active women in the U.S. in 2002 to 11 percent in 2006-2010, according to a recent CDC report.
Plus, that number has probably continued to rise in the last few years, says Mary Jane Minkin, M.D., clinical professor at Yale University School of Medicine. “It’s wonderful for women to know that [emergency contraception] is out there and available to them, because we know accidents happen,” says Minkin. “But we also hope that people continue to use reliable contraception all the time.”
But about those accidents: Post-unprotected sex, your mind may be a total, anxious blur. So knowing a few key facts about your options before you need them will save you a ton of stress later on. Here, the six most important things to know about the morning-after pill:
There Is More Than One Option
You’ve probably heard of the most common pills on the market, Plan B and Plan B One-Step (the one-pill dose), which is available over-the-counter for women 17 and older. It’s a progestin-only pill that is effective at preventing pregnancy up to 72 hours after unprotected sex and works mainly by inhibiting ovulation. But there’s another med you should know about: Ella is a newer form of emergency contraception that can be taken up to five days after your oops moment, though it’s only available with a prescription. It also works by stopping or delaying ovulation, but it carries the same effectiveness for five days, says Minkin, rather than just 72 hours.
It Doesn’t Just Come in Pill Form
But the most foolproof method actually isn’t a pill at all—inserting a copper IUD up to five days after unprotected sex can also prevent pregnancy. “By far, the most effective emergency contraception is the insertion of a copper IUD,” says James Trussell, Ph.D., faculty associate at the Office of Population Research at Princeton University. Since this would include a doctor’s visit, a (potentially painful) insertion procedure, and a hefty upfront cost, it may not be viable option for women who weren’t already considering an IUD. This might be why the FDA doesn’t list the IUD as an approved method of emergency contraception. However, if you’re looking for a reliable birth control method anyway, this might be the time to talk to your doctor about the option.
You Have (a Little) Time
While 72 hours may sound like a long time—not to mention the five days you get with Ella—that doesn’t mean you should put off your trip to the drugstore. “You may have three days, but the sooner you take it, the better. If you can get to the pharmacy immediately, you should,” says Minkin. However, if you know you won’t make the 72-hour mark, you may want to call your doctor for a prescription for Ella to buy yourself some time.
The Pharmacist Could Shut You Down
This may sound crazy, but several states have laws that allow pharmacies or individual pharmacists to refuse to sell you emergency contraception, according to the Guttmacher Institute. “If this happens, they are supposed to direct you to someone who can get it for you,” says Minkin. Save yourself the trouble and call ahead. Dial up your nearest pharmacy (and a backup) to confirm that they have the pill in stock and that they have no qualms about dispensing it. If you’re having trouble locating a pharmacy with EC, call your local Planned Parenthood for help.
Your Period May Be Different
Don’t be shocked if your flow is a little off during the month that you take EC. Your period may be earlier, later or heavier than normal as a result of the medication, though it can also change due to stress (and who wouldn’t be anxious after a birth control failure!). However, if your cycle is more than a few days late, you may want to take a pregnancy test. “Emergency contraception isn’t 100 percent effective, but it’s better than nothing,” says Minkin.
It Shouldn’t Replace Birth Control
There’s a reason why this isn’t called Plan A—it’s not meant to be used as your regular birth control method. Instead, think of it like your emergency credit card: You’re not going to use it every day, but you might need to whip it out after a major slip-up. “It’s not dangerous to your health to take it several times, but there are a lot of great contraceptive methods out there,” says Minkin. “I do not recommend this for regular contraception, and I’m always encouraging people to use condoms no matter what.” That said, mistakes happen. And like your emergency plastic, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to keep one on hand in case of emergencies.
photo: Comstock/Thinkstock
More from Women’s Health:
All About Birth Control
The Smart Girl’s Guide to Contraceptives
Take a Stand For Your Reproductive Rights
To find out how to suppress your hunger hormone, buy The Belly Fat Fix now!
The Best Pill For Your Aches and Pains
While it may protect you from heart disease, prevent cancer, and safeguard your skin, aspirin isn’t always the right pill to pop for treating your everyday aches and pains.
When you think of over-the-counter meds, the main categories are acetaminophen (Tylenol), and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAID) drugs like ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) and naproxen (Aleve), says Mary Lynn McPherson, Pharm.D., a professor at the University of Maryland School of Pharmacy.
All of these medicines will lower your fever, but some help your symptoms more than others, she explains. So to put an end to your confusion, follow these simple guidelines for choosing which remedy to reach for when you feel pain. (Discover hundreds more doctor-approved, do-it-yourself fixes for every injury imaginable in The Athlete’s Book of Home Remedies.)
The Issue: You rolled your ankle while jogging
Your Rx: Motrin or Advil
The half-life for ibuprofen is about 6 hours, says McPherson. So if the sprain isn’t causing excruciating pain, take an Advil or Motrin. By choosing either one over Tylenol, you’re reaping both pain-relieving and anti-inflammatory rewards. Any time you have something red and hot like a joint, NSAIDs are the way to go, McPherson says.
The Issue: That nagging headache is back
Your Rx: Tylenol
If it’s just a regular headache, acetaminophen is fine, says McPherson. But if you have a past history with liver disease, then take it with caution, since too much acetaminophen can lead to liver damage. (Heavy drinkers, take note.)
The Issue: You overdid it at the gym, and now your joints kill
Your Rx: Aleve
Naproxen’s half-life is about 12 hours, which means it beats out the shorter-lasting ibuprofen for especially painful joints, says McPherson.
The Issue: You’ve got a head-splitting migraine
Your Rx: Excedrin
Since side effects tend to get worse when a headache grows into a migraine—think nausea, vomiting, throbbing pain, or sensitivity to light—you’ll need more than a basic painkiller to cure it. Your move: Reach for an Excedrin, which contains aspirin, acetaminophen, and caffeine all in one tablet, McPherson says. (Sometimes you don’t even need meds to ease your pain. Learn The Pill-Free Headache Fix.)
Get more info on how to treat cuts, allergies, cold sores, and other common health woes in the October 2012 issue of Women’s Health magazine, on newsstands September 11.
photo: iStockphoto/Thinkstock
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FDA Approves New Weight-Loss Pill Lorcacerin
Wish you could tell your growling belly to shut up? Now there’s a drug for that–and it couldn’t have come at a better time.
As U.S. obesity rates near 35 percent of the adult population, the Federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved a new prescription weight-loss pill called lorcacerin, and marketed under the name Belviq. The drug safely turns off the natural signals your body sends to your brain to remind you to eat enough food to maintain your current weight. Sounds swell, right? Here are the questions you should be asking before asking your doc for a prescription:
Does it really work? And how much weight will I lose? How quickly will the weight come off?
Whoa, whoa, whoa. First, the drug is intended to be combined with a reduced-calorie diet and exercise, so it won’t just whip you into shape unless you make some changes. While the drug itself will curb hunger, it won’t, for instance, keep an emotional eater from downing a tub of ice cream like it’s her job, says Holly Herrington, registered dietician at the Center for Lifestyle Medicine at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago.
“Drugs like this are tools to help in weight loss. They are never intended to be the end all be all,” says Herrington. “The one thing we have seen over and over again in studies that causes weight loss is increasing exercise and choosing healthier foods.”
In multiple studies totaling nearly 8,000 people who took Belviq, participants lost an average of between 3 and 3.7 percent of their body weight over the course of a year. Better yet, about 47 percent of non-diabetics who took Belviq lost upwards of 5 percent of their weight.
I just have a few stubborn pounds to lose. Can I take lorcacerin?
The drug is only recommended for those who are obese (i.e., your body mass index is pushing 30 or greater), or overweight (i.e., you have a BMI of 27 or greater) and suffering from at least one weight-related condition such as high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, or high cholesterol. Calculate your BMI here.
A high BMI can increase your risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, breast cancer, headache, and sleep apnea. “We’ve seen that even a small decrease in weight can improve these conditions,” says Herrington. Learn more about how your BMI can affect your health.
If you have an increased risk for heart disease, or you’re planning on popping out a kid in the near future, you’d do best to lay off–even if you have a high BMI.
Are results guaranteed?
If you don’t lose weight in the first three months, you might want to call it quits, as continued use is unlikely to cause weight loss, according to the FDA.
Want a proven way to lose weight fast? Get the best eating and exercise plan for your body type and be swimsuit sexy in six weeks!
Is it really safe?
Potential side effects of Belviq include depression, migraines, and memory lapses–but no anal leakage, a much scoffed-about side effect of the only other FDA-approved prescription drug for long-term weight loss: Orlistat.
While the uncomfortable side effects of orlistat (sold as Xenical) make it seldom prescribed, it is available in small doses as the OTC drug Alli, which doesn’t block hunger, but prevents the body from absorbing dietary fat, Herrington says. Unfortunately, fat that’s eaten but not absorbed has to come out some way, making the drug infamous for causing diarrhea. The risks of Belviq are believed to be far gentler.
photo: iStockphoto/Thinkstock
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Slim down in just 6 weeks! Order your copy of the Slim Calm Sexy Diet