Can birth control pills treat endometriosis?

Patient's question:

No

Doctor's answer:

The birth control pill is one of the earliest hormone drugs used to treat endometriosis. Its primary mechanism of action is that the birth control pill can inhibit the hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian axis, which means it can lower the levels of pituitary gonadotropins, directly act on the endometrium and ectopic endometrium, leading to endometrial atrophy and reduced menstrual flow.