Demystifying Birth Control

There are numerous misconceptions about birth control that exist. Because of this, many women will move away from the use of contraceptives which increase the chance of an unwanted pregnancy and health problems. In this blog, I am going to talk about physical health side effects, fertility concerns, and the concept of unnaturalness with regards to birth control. 

 When thinking about birth control, many women are worried about the effect it has on fertility. The short answer is no, birth control does not affect fertility. I am going to now explore this further. The first thing that I think is important to understand is; what really is birth control? Birth control comes in many forms. The most common types are:

Combination Pills- Contain synthetic estrogen and progestin that prevents ovulation and thickens cervical mucus to block sperm

Long Acting Reversible contraceptives- These include things like IUDs and implants which give you extended protection, no daily keep-up needed

Injectable Contraceptives- Progestin shot that is given every 3 months (called Depo-Provera)

So now that we know some common types of birth control, let's talk about some common myths that people believe, starting with fertility. 

Many people believe that if they start taking birth control, it will have negative effects on their fertility. This idea is completely false. This myth may come from the fact that birth control does have a small effect on short term fertility because that is the entire point of the medication. The time it takes to conceive after discontinuing birth control can differ based on the type of contraception employed. If you are using birth control pills or have an IUD (whether hormonal or copper), your fertility should resume anywhere from immediately to a few weeks later. If you possess an implant, such as Nexplanon, ovulation typically returns within one to three months following removal. Users of Depo-Provera face the longest wait, with certain women taking as long as 18 months for ovulation to resume. Nonetheless, the ultimate fertility rates stay consistent. Many studies have shown that birth control does not have an impact on the woman's ability to conceive. Women who took birth control had the same fertility results as women who had never taken it. This study shows that long term use of contraceptives does not have a detrimental effect on fertility in the long term. Overall, the idea that birth control will affect your ability to conceive has been proven wrong. 

Another common misconception about birth control is that it makes you gain weight. Many individuals assume that weight gain is almost inevitable when using birth control pills or receiving an IUD. Why might that be? Well, many women on birth control are taking it during a stage of their life when their body is constantly changing and growing. For example, most women start taking birth control in their teens to early twenties. Usually, this is when women go through puberty and also start becoming responsible for making their own meals. So, it is very easy to blame weight gain on a new medication. However, extensive scientific research indicates otherwise. The majority of birth control methods have not been shown to result in weight gain, and this has been thoroughly studied. There is an exception, though. The Depo-Provera birth control injection has been associated with weight gain in some individuals. On average, those who have been using Depo-Provera for one year may gain around five pounds. It’s important to understand that this is an average, meaning that while some individuals may gain more, others may not experience any weight change. Depo-Provera is administered as an injection by healthcare professionals every three months and contains a significant dose of progesterone, which can stimulate appetite. Apart from the Depo-Provera injection, researchers have not identified a compelling correlation between other forms of birth control and weight gain. 

Overall, birth control has been stigmatized all around the world when really, it is not a bad thing. I have done a lot of research, and I have come to the conclusion that birth control is a great medication and can help with many health problems including acne, heavy periods, bad period pain, and some studies even show it can help prevent cancer.