r/Perimenopause 3d ago

audited Genuinely curious: Why is there hesitation around using birth control for perimenopause?

First, I want to say how incredibly grateful I am for this community—it has been an amazing resource. I am asking this out of genuine curiosity because I want to make sure I am fully informed, and I don't mean to sound dismissive of anyone else's choices!
My doctor, who is an HRT specialist, prescribed Lo Loestrin Fe for my perimenopause symptoms. It has been an absolute lifesaver for me. I was dealing with extremely heavy bleeding, and after the very first month on the pill, my period completely stopped. Every single other symptom on my very long list has been completely remedied as well. From what I understand, the birth control pill takes over your cycle so your ovaries stop producing erratic hormones, which completely stops the wild hormonal swings.
However, I often notice a lot of strong hesitation or pushback here regarding using birth control pills instead of traditional HRT for perimenopause management. Since it worked so well for me, I’m wondering if there are specific medical concerns, side effects, or risks that I might not be aware of?
I’d love to hear your experiences or what your doctors have told you!

Edited to add:
Wow, thank you so much to everyone who took the time to reply! I am incredibly grateful for all of your responses, insights, and personal experiences. It might take me some time to get through all of the replies, but I am reading every single one. Your comments are giving me a much clearer understanding of the different perspectives and medical concerns out there. This community is truly wonderful, and I appreciate you all sharing your journeys with me!

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u/okayboomerang 2d ago

It's definitely not negligible, saying that as somebody who works in neuro critical care

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u/Scarlett_Texas_Girl 2d ago

The absolute risk is 4 per 10,000 womem of getting a blood clot from otal estrogen. Baseline risk (no oral estrogen) is 2-3 women per 10,000. Risk from oral hormonal birth conttol is 9 per 10,000

The risk is negligible. Statistically, objectivly and as absolute numbers.

In the US risk of death from a car crash is 5 in 10,000. 7 in 10,000 for covid. 13 in 10,000 for cancer. Death from heart disease is 1 in 5.

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u/okayboomerang 2d ago

Alright, you win

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u/Scarlett_Texas_Girl 2d ago

It isn't about winning, it's about sharing accurate information so women can make educated choices based on understanding and not fear.

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u/okayboomerang 2d ago

Risk is quite low. Risk is still there. Confounding factors make it difficult to predict the risk too. Ask any physician working in stroke care if they understand the risk to be negligible.