You may have heard that today is Thanks, Birth Control Day. We’re pretty excited because of all the things birth control does and enables us to do. We already know that birth control is great for helping us prevent pregnancy, and that some forms (condoms and internal condoms) also protect against STIs. But what about all the other reasons people use birth control?

Bedsider recently surveyed 1,000 women ages 18 to 29 about their birth control, and what we heard from those who use birth control was that there’s much more to it than pregnancy and STI prevention (though those are super important factors!). So while 79% said they use it to prevent pregnancy, an additional 5% use it to time a pregnancy, and 12% use it to prevent STIs, lots of people use it for other reasons as well:

1. Regulating periods and easing painful cramps

Having an irregular period sucks. Hormonal birth control can help regulate your period so that you feel more in control. Hormonal birth control can also help with period pain. It can make periods lighter by making the lining of the uterus thinner. Some people stop getting a period altogether on certain methods, like the hormonal IUDs Mirena and LILETTA. Or you can use your hormonal birth control in a certain way to skip your period.

2. Having better, more stress-free sex

Good sex isn’t just about perfectly-timed foreplay and back-breaking positions. It’s all about the mental game. And if you’re stressed and anxious about pregnancy or STIs the entire time, well, that’s kind of a mood killer! Birth control can help you focus on what feels good, like mind-blowing, limitless pleasure that makes you want to scream F#@% YES!

3. Controlling acne

Hormonal birth control may also be able to help with managing acne. In fact, some forms of hormonal birth control are actually FDA approved for treating acne. It may take a little trial and error to find one that works for you, but there are plenty of options.

4. Treating a medical condition

Some forms of birth control can help with PCOS (shout out to all the cysters out there!) by stopping ovulation. The pill, patch, ring, and shot are the most effective of all the methods at stopping ovulation. Hormonal birth control can also help control the symptoms of endometriosis.

5. Timing a pregnancy

Waiting until the time is right to have a baby can help you get more control over your future. Maybe you want to take certain steps in your education or your career before creating another human, or maybe you’re waiting for the right relationship. Or maybe you’ve already created a human (or a few) and you just want to wait until you’ve got less on your plate (and all over your floor, and in your hair). Whatever the case, birth control can help you wait until you’re ready.

These are just 5 of the reasons we’re saying #ThxBirthControl today (and every day). What about you? Join us on social and tell us what you love about your method.

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