A TikTok creator Telling viewers it took her six years to “fix her hormones” after going off birth control. another one Cut up the pack of birth control pills That he said “destroyed me as a person.” a third say it “One of the most harmful things you can put in your body.”
Getting a hormonal contraceptive the flood bad the buzz All over social media, where posters are listing side effects like depression, anxiety, low sex drive, acne, unwanted weight changes and more. Although the size of the trend is difficult to measure, it has become visible enough to enter titleChat between friends, and between conversations Patients and their doctors.
The result is that if you’re an American of reproductive age, it may seem like the pill, the ring, IUDs, and other hormonal methods are terrible drugs that only lead to worse outcomes.
It’s important not to dismiss people’s bad experiences with birth control, especially since Women’s medical concerns Often underestimated by doctors in general and ignored by researchers. In fact, the lack of public conversation about contraception and its side effects may be part of the reason for the recent wave of critical posts. Women also have good reason to be upset about their birth control options Not much has changed In decades, when male birth control seems to be perennial Five years in the future.
But negative posts can mask a fundamental truth: birth control is a highly effective way to avoid an unplanned pregnancy, an experience that has profound effects on people’s bodies, not to mention their lives.
No birth control method is perfect, but experts say people who experience side effects with one can often find another that works for them. And for many after that Dobbs The conclusion, “contraceptive access is becoming more and more important,” said Menggang Sun, an OB-GYN in New York City and a colleague of the group. Physicians for reproductive health.
Now, that access may be in jeopardy with former President Donald Trump said in an interview This week that he is “looking at” restrictions on the drug (he later Statement walking back, stated that he “does not advocate” restrictions). Birth control has also had side effects Cited by conservatives As a reason to oppose medicine.
With their availability under threat, experts say it’s crucial to remember what works best for drugs Millions of people who use it.
Hormonal birth control is very effective in preventing pregnancy
People have been sharing negative experiences with birth control for years, but contraceptive criticism has been gaining new levels of attention in recent months, with manufacturers and influencers posting horror stories or tips for stopping the pill, sometimes misleading information. These stories may be honest, but some users deliberately spread misinformation to further the anti-contraception agenda, said Deborah Bartz, an OB-GYN at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston who studies birth control images on social media.
In fact, hormonal contraceptives are a reliable way to prevent pregnancy: Birth control pills are about 91 percent effective in general use. American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, although long-acting contraceptive methods such as IUDs and contraceptive implants are more than 99 percent effective. For comparison, condoms are about 82 percent effective (they can leak or come off), and fertility-based awareness methods, which rely on charting the menstrual cycle and avoiding sex on the most fertile days or using condoms, are about 76 percent effective.
Reliable contraception has a huge impact on people’s ability to plan for the future. According to research That access to birth control increases women’s earnings, helps them achieve their educational goals, and makes them less likely to fall into poverty.
“Every child-able person should be able to decide if/when to conceive, and birth control really helps them plan and be able to make that decision for themselves,” Sun said.
Hormonal contraceptives are also used for a variety of medical conditions, including: Endometriosis And Polycystic ovary syndrome. The drugs “have many medical benefits,” Sun said.
What Doctors Say About Side Effects
Birth control has side effects, the most common of which are menstrual changes such as lighter or absent periods. Some people take birth control to shorten or stop their periods, but for others, the changes can be unwelcome, says Christine Dehlendorf. Person-centered reproductive health programs at the University of California San Francisco.
Many social media posts about birth control mention weight gain, although only a few methods, such as the Depo-Provera shot and the contraceptive implant, have been conclusively linked to weight change, Sun said. Other top concerns are effects on mood and libido, which can vary by procedure and patient.
For some people, IUD insertion can be extremely painful. Anesthesia and other pain relief procedures can help, but, troublingly, doctors often underestimate the pain of the procedure and do not offer pain management. The Washington Post reported this.
Some critics of birth control are more broadly concerned about the effects of taking hormones such as estrogen and progestin, active ingredients in many methods. Medicines are associated with a small increase Breast cancer riskand carry some a Small risk of blood clots. However, doctors say any risk with birth control needs to be balanced against pregnancy, which carries own health risks.
“Whenever my patients ask me about birth control hormones, I tell them, when you’re pregnant, your body produces more of the same hormones,” Sun said.
It’s important for doctors to respect people’s concerns about birth control, listen to them without being paternalistic or dismissive, Dehlendorf said. “If we are going to be able to inform the public, trust needs to be repaired and restored between health care providers and communities and patients about people’s experiences of birth control.”
But experts also say it’s especially important now to protect birth control access for those who want it. “Contraception is a valuable tool for those who don’t want to get pregnant, and access to it is absolutely essential in the post context.Dobbs era,” Dehlendorf said.
