The Birth Control Pill and its Impact on Female Health

To be very clear: This article does NOT aim to shame anyone currently on the birth control pill (BCP or “pill”) or considering taking it. I don’t know the sum of your experiences, your condition, or anything about your life, so it is not my place to judge your decision. 

I believe there can be good reasons to go on the pill, at least for a period of time. But, I want to give you the bigger picture here, so you can make an informed decision for yourself.

Personally, I’ve known for a while now that the pill isn’t supportive for our health, and comes with a long list of side effects ranging from mood swings, nausea, and brain fog, to loss of libido all the way to (fatal) embolisms. I had to come off it out of necessity in 2013, because I had a pulmonary embolism and almost died (which is a story for another day).

It wasn’t until recently, when I dug into its exact function and effects on the body in my Women’s Health Certification training, that I understood the extent to which it can actually cause long-term harm to the body.

The myth of regulation

Originally developed to prevent unwanted pregnancy, and therefore a big relief to many women all over the world, nowadays the pill gets prescribed to many young females, sometimes as soon as they start their period and experience any difficulties with it.

The reasons mentioned by the doctors are usually that it helps regulate the hormones and the menstrual cycle, eases painful bleeds, and alleviates symptoms like acne.

Unfortunately, much of this is a myth that couldn’t be further from the truth: The birth control pill doesn’t regulate the menstrual cycle; it eliminates it.

Yes, there are pills that allow for a monthly bleed (due to their composition of both estrogen and progesterone, the two main hormones in charge of the menstrual cycle), but this bleed isn’t an actual menstruation. It’s called a withdrawal bleed, because it’s the body’s reaction to the sudden drop in external progesterone supply.