What are the benefits of taking the pill?
The most obvious benefits are that the pill is safe, very effective (when used properly), and a reversible method of birth control. In terms of safety, the pill causes very few deaths overall, and the deaths that do happen often occur in women known to be at higher risk for complications from using the pill. Using the pill is also safer overall than getting pregnant. When taken properly, the pregnancy rate on the pill is very low. In the real world, however, many women skip pills, and this raises the actual pregnancy rate to about 4% or 5%. In terms of reversible effects, most women who discontinue the pill can get pregnant within a few months. Because of its contraceptive effects, the pill also leads to fewer ectopic pregnancies than in women not on the pill. The pill decreases irregular menstrual bleeding and menstrual cramps, and can be used in conditions such as polycystic ovary syndrome (POS) and endometriosis where bleeding control is important. The pill is also associated with a
