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Contraceptives: The Pill

strivewellnessny

Updated: Jun 23, 2023

Let me start out by saying that I am in no way here to bash contraceptives and Birth control pills. Nor am I here to discourage the use of birth control methods in any way in the coming blog posts. All I want to do is encourage education and provide some baseline information to get the conversation started and introduction to learning in regard to these topics.



Having been a patient of using birth control pills myself from the age of 17 up until the age of 30 and again for about 6 months after my pregnancy loss a couple years later, I am in no way objecting to the use of them as they were what worked best for me in my young adult life during a time where I felt it was necessary.


As adults, we know and understand that the absolute best method of birth control is abstinence and that's the bottom line. We also understand that abstinence is not always an option.

As an adult, my reasoning for no longer using methods of birth control for pregnancy prevention is my own personal choice but, I am willing to share wit you what made me decide to discontinue use of the pill in my 30's. I decided to no longer put chemical hormones into my body that are not of natural substance and allow my body time to regulate and learn its natural ways. Especially if one day I plan to conceive children of my own.

Let's take a moment to discuss what I mean by natural ways. I mean the bodies natural cycle of ovulation and having a period. Typical, healthy periods run every 28 days in the female body. So, it's important as women that we do our best to be aware of and track our cycles on a calendar so we can understand such information as our ovulation, fertile days and our cycle itself plus any symptoms we tend to get and when. I have personally found this helpful even when I was on the pill, my cycle would come like clockwork every month every, 26 days exactly. (Every woman's experience on the pill can be different because the body will respond different) and at first it took me a while to find the right pill for me.

When I first started it, I experienced intense mood swings and needed to be switched brands (I do not remember at the time, the name of the pills). From my experience, being on the pill had the benefits, less intense cramps, I actually lost some weight being on them, aside from needing the balance in mood swings it was nice to know that I had a security blanket as a young adult making a choice to become active in case of any accidents happening. Even when there was a condom involved. I do not recall having any other response, negatively to the pill at least none that I am aware of at this time. It's important to speak to your doctor regularly to check in regarding how you are feeling when first beginning any form of birth control as well as studying side effects and risks present and future involved with taking the pill before even making that decision. It must sit comfortable with you.


Educational Moment: When we take the pill we are taking "synthetic" (synthetic defined: a substance, made by chemical synthesis to imitate a natural product) hormones estrogen & progestin combined or progestin only for those who cannot take estrogen based pills, to aid in "safely" stopping ovulation and prevent conception. The hormone helps thicken cervical mucus to prevent sperm to reach an egg to be fertilized and is 99.9% effective when taken properly (meaning at the same time daily and no missed pills) and does not prevent sexually transmitted diseases and infection. Use of a condom can help but still has a risk of rupture leaving the body at risk for exposure for unwanted pregnancy, STI's and STD's.


In my opinion, and experience, the use of pills prevents you from truly getting a grasp on your body's natural functioning. I have also known more women than I would like to admit who have experienced major health issues with their body after extended use of the pill or stopping and going back on it from taking some time off. Although considered more rare, it is still concerning. As an adult, all the women I know who learned of who struggled with the pill in their late 20's and early 30's from use as a teen, left me worried about continuing its use any longer and wondering if my body would function normally to conceive in the future.


Putting synthetic chemicals into our bodies, is never going to be a good thing especially long term. The body is meant to function a certain way on a normal basis.

As women, we should keep in mind there are other ways from abstinence to even becoming more in tune with our own bodies and learning things such as basal body temperature tracking for fertility or prevention. Which can also help us determine if there are underlying conditions within our reproductive system. Whatever your choice may be, there is no wrong one. In the end your method of birth control is your choice. Just as the choice to have sex is and should be yours as well with giving consent to intimacy.


Should you not give consent to someone to touch or be intimate with you in any way, you have a right to report it especially if the word "no" comes out of your mouth. Yes is yes and no is no, even uncertainty is no. There's no middle ground in consent.

If you have or think you have been sexually assaulted, RAINN (Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network) is a 24/7 National Sexual Assault Hotline and completely Confidential. Call (800) 656-4673 or visit their website at https://www.rainn.org/






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