Does birth control stop endometriosis from growing?

While hormonal birth control doesn’t stop the growth of endometriosis, it does suppress it. This is because hormonal contraceptives inhibit ovulation, decreasing the levels of estrogen in the body.

“Estrogen is what causes the growth and progression of endometriosis,” says Paul MacKoul, MD, a laparoscopic GYN surgeon and co-founder at the Center for Innovative GYN Care.

While hormonal birth control does contain estrogen, it can actually slow the growth of endometriosis as well as control bleeding with menstrual cycles, says MacKoul. Moreover, some people may choose to skip the placebo week if they’re on the pill, which helps them to skip a period altogether.