Let’s talk about the birth control pill!

I’ll start off the conversation with saying that I believe all woman should have access to birth control.

The birth control pill is an effective contraceptive, it is effective at preventing pregnancy.

I also believe in informed consent and understanding the risks and benefits of taking any medication. The known benefits of taking the birth control pill include improved cycle control, less bleeding and cramps, ovarian cancer protection.

What the birth control pill is doing is it is supplying the body with synthetic hormones. These synthetic hormones suppress our body’s natural hormone balance. It suppresses our estrogen, progesterone, free testosterone.

If you look at the hormonal profile of a woman on the birth control pill, it looks similar to a woman in menopause.

These synthetic hormones do not correct a woman’s natural hormone balance. Instead it is suppressing a woman’s natural hormone balance and stopping the communication between the brain and the ovaries.

And there are a number of common side effects with the birth control pill. There’s headaches, fatigue, nausea, depression, bloating, weight gain, loss of libido, increased risk of breast cancer, increased risk of blood clots (increasing that risk to 4-7x normal risk), increased risk of gallbladder disease, high blood pressure, strokes.

The birth control pill also depletes the body of key nutrients such as folate, B12, vitamin C, Zinc, B6, selenium, magnesium. These are key nutrients needed for fertility.

There is an excellent book called “Beyond the Pill” by Dr. Jolene Brighten that is worth reading for more information about the Birth Control Pill.

References:

Huber et al. “Use of Oral Contraceptives in BRCA Mutation Carriers and Risk for ovarian and Breast Cancer.”

Tergesen. “Is 100 the New Life Expectacy for People Born in the 21st Century?”

Helmerhorst et al. “The Venous Thrombotic Risk of Oral Contraceptive, Effects of Oestrogen Dose and Progestogen Type.”

Etminan et al. “Oral Contraceptives and the Risk of Gallbladder Disease.”