The career woman and oral contraceptive use.

The benefits of oral contraceptives are emphasized in this review which begins by listing the priorities an older career woman seeks in a contraceptive. She needs a highly reliable reversible method while she postpones childbearing until as late as age 35 with no long-term adverse effects. The method must not affect cardiovascular health or fertility nor increase risk of endometrial or ovarian cancer. Polls indicate that many women believe the pill has serious health risks causes cancer and is not very reliable. Actually it is almost as reliable as sterilization has no lasting effect on fertility adds no risk of cardiovascular disease if patients are screened for risk factors and probably does not increase the change of getting breast cancer in most women. The non-contraceptive benefits of oral contraceptives are significant to health: protection against endometrial and ovarian cancer heavy menses dysmenorrhea ovarian cysts reduced risk of pelvic inflammatory disease endometriosis benign breast disease iron deficiency anemia and osteoporosis. With todays low-dose pills and proper screening of patients most practitioners will never see a major complication. The Food and Drug Administration has lengthened the approved use of oral contraceptives in health non-smokers up to menopause.