Birth control has always been taboo in my household, in more ways than one. My grandma who was a teenager in the 1940s was telling me at ten years old how revolutionary it was, while my mother was always pretty wary about it because she claimed to have read about the damaging side effects.
Needless to say, as a teenager I was on the fence about taking it. However, last year I decided I needed to, to be safe of course. A few months later I was diagnosed with erythema nodosum, an inflammatory disorder on the shins, caused by estrogen in the birth control pills I was taking.
That was my own personal experience, but many of those with uteruses speak highly of hormonal birth control and reap the benefits the estrogen gives.
Besides the prevention of unwanted pregnancy, one of the biggest pros to birth control is the fact that foreplay and intercourse don’t get interrupted by the awkward anticipation of putting a condom on. That is a collateral benefit that nobody really talks about, but it needs to be said.
Another huge benefit of hormonal birth control is the reduced pain and flow of your period. Many people with periods often use birth control for that very reason. They decrease the number of prostaglandins (chemicals your body produces to make the muscles of the uterus contract), and with fewer contractions comes less pain, blood flow, and reduced risk of anemia.
Hormonal birth control also helps clear up acne pretty well due to the estrogen, which is another reason some people take it. However, when having unprotected sex and taking birth control, you can be more prone to sexually transmitted diseases and infections. So it is crucial to always try and get tested while on the pill to ensure your health isn’t at risk.
The hormones in the pill may give you negative side effects, like the one that happened to me because each body is different. Hormonal birth control gives the side effects of pregnancy because it tricks your body into thinking it is already pregnant. So, while on the pill, you may experience symptoms of dizziness, morning sickness, weight gain, depression, and other not so pleasant symptoms of pregnancy.
Some minor inconveniences of the pill are just that you have to take it every day at the same time or else it could lose its effectiveness and can affect your menstrual cycle. The pill is not for everyone but it could be for you. There are so many methods to birth control ( patch, pill, implant, IUD, spermicide, etc.) so is always important that you check with a doctor to see what type of birth control method is best for you.