For instance, low-dose oral contraceptives are ideal for women over 40, as they provide excellent hormone replacement therapy and control dysfunctional uterine bleeding during the perimenopause. Research shows that postmenopausal women previously treated with oral contraceptives have a higher bone density at menopause than women who had never taken the pill. Thus they enter menopause with a more optimal bone density. There are some common fears about the pill's possible side effects. This belief is especially prominent among adolescents, who are appropriately gaining weight as part of their natural growth and development.
Studies confirm there is no weight gain with the use of oral contraceptives.
In fact, as many women lose weight on the pill as gain weight. The genesis of this misconception could be oral contraceptive users going through a period of their lives associated with decreased exercise, aging, or other factors responsible for weight gain. The pill causes blood clots, heart attack or stroke. This may be a residual fear grounded in the experiences of those women who first used the OCs marketed in the 1960s. These pioneer OC formulations contained very high levels of estrogen, which is associated with a high risk for cardiovascular events.