The dark side of the pill, as revealed by new research

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5. Its use in treating hormonally-induced migraines is the regulating impact on girls/women

whose estrogen/progesterone/FSH levels are so wildly diverging from normal pre-menstrual levels that migraines are triggered.

It would make sense that in some women whose hormones are more closely regulated, that the impact of even low dose BC could trigger similar migraines. That was not typical, obviously, but it does occur.

A similar thing for women with certain autoimmune diseases like Rheumatoid Arthritis, MS, Hashimoto's where pregnancy (and the inherent hormonal shifts as well as similar substances produced by the placenta) can actually down-regulate their immune system, giving tremendous, albeit temporary relief. Many of these women actually find the relief so dramatic that they seek to return to pregnancy as early and frequently as possible (!)

It is all about a very precarious balance, it would seem.