How have women dealt with the hormone change that birth control pills causes? Why do doctors recommend certain birth controls?

Many women have turned to birth control because it makes their lives easier. It makes sex more enjoyable because you don’t have to worry about using a condom and having a baby. But what happens when you take the easy way out in order to avoid the consequences? Many women use birth control pills solely for that purpose, only to discover a few months later that their bodies aren’t reacting “normally”. This hormonal contraceptive comes in different forms like a monthly oral- contraceptive (the pill), the patch, Vaginal ring, an injection, hormonal intrauterine contraceptive, and implantable hormonal contraceptive. Birth control is used for a variety of reasons, including preventing pregnancy, clearing acne, and stopping heavy blood flow. When women see the benefits, they don’t pay attention to the drawbacks, which is where the long-term effects come into play. Weight gain, heavy bleeding, osteoporosis, and, on a more serious note, blood clots are some of the negative side effects that may occur because of birth control. Even doctors have played down on these problems. Many doctors themselves would suggest using birth control for the usage of helping hormone related issues like stopping a menstrual flow. A women might be prescribed to take birth control pills because it has non-contraceptive benefits such as protecting Ovarian and Uterine Cancer. Birth control, like any other medication, can be both beneficial and harmful to a woman’s body. But in many cases, we have seen that birth control is more harmful than helpful.

            The most common complaint about unwanted side effects is unpleasant mood changes, which account for more than half of all women who begin using birth control discontinuing it within the first year. Many times, it is the depression or the anxiety but regardless, many women do not like the feeling. In Denmark, there was a study on association of hormonal contraception with depression. Researchers have had an ongoing study for 14 years (January 1, 2000, to December 2013) on women from ages 15-34 who lived in Denmark. Prior to the studies, all these women had no history of “depression diagnosis, redeemed prescription for antidepressants, other major psychiatric diagnosis, cancer, venous thrombosis, or infertility treatment”. They then found out that women on hormonal contraceptives, were up 50% more likely to be diagnosed with depression, comparing to women who were not on any hormonal contraceptives. Scientist, Sarah E. Hill said “the results of this study, as well as others, suggest the pill can increase some women’s risk of depression”. This was true for young women, ages 15 to 19, whose brains are still developing and may be more susceptible to the influence of hormonal signaling. The same researchers conducted another study to see whether hormonal contraceptives increases women’s risk of attempting or committing suicide. They tracked the hormonal contraceptive and any suicide attempts/ deaths in Danish women who would turn 15 between 1996 and 2013. Just like their prior study, they did not include anyone who had already suffered from psychological problems or who were on any antidepressants or hormonal contraceptives. They would follow those women for about 8 years. At the end of their study, researchers found out that the women on these pills were twice as likely to attempt committing suicide than the women who weren’t on any pills. The risk of actually committing suicide were triple that of women who were not on hormonal contraceptives. Apart from that, they have also suggested that women on the pill may have lower levels of GABA, which is an inhibitory neurotransmitter that is used to calm nerves in the central nervous system. Having a lover level of GABA can cause anxiety, being overwhelmed, and depression. This could be bad news for a women’s mental health, especially younger girls, because there were a number of mental health related issues like bipolar disorder and panic disorder, due to the lack of GABAergic activity.

            The most common methods that women were reported currently using were female sterilization, the pill, LARCs, and male condoms. Between 2015-2017, 65% of women from age 15-49 were using birth control pills, while 35% of women, that same age, were not using contraception at that time. Most women, during that time were focused on preventing pregnancy which is why the percentage is higher. The National center for Health Statistics show that the “pill use decreased with increasing age: 16.6% of women aged 15–19 were currently using the pill compared with 19.5% of women aged 20–29, 11.0% of those aged 30–39, and 5.1% of those aged 40–49”. This means that as women get older, they get off the pill maybe to start a family or the effects it had on them. Regardless of the situation, many of us women do not know what we put inside our bodies. We just see all the benefits and exclude all the side effects.

            On November 2016, The National Library of Medicine published an article about a study that was made to investigate if the use of hormonal contraception is “positively associated with subsequent use of antidepressants and a diagnosis of depression at a psychiatric hospital”. Researchers used data from the National Prescription Register and the Psychiatric Central Research Register in Denmark. They had found out that adolescents, between the age of 15-19 years old, that used combined oral contraceptives had an RR of an antidepressant of 1.8. Concluding that the “use of hormonal contraception was associated with subsequent use of antidepressants and a first diagnosis of depression, suggesting depression as a potential adverse effect of hormonal contraceptive use”. This was seen more in adolescents which is believed to be more dangerous.

            There is a YouTube video that asks the question if certain birth control pills lead to blood clots or strokes. Dr. Sujatha Reddy is an Obstetrician Gynecologist and speaks out on this. Dr. Reddy says that getting blood clots from birth control is rare. She gives an estimate, about 1-4 strokes per 100,000, but if the pills increases that risk, it doubles it to only as high to 8 strokes per 100,000; though she says that it is still a very small number. When it comes to people who already suffer from migraines, have a higher risk of getting strokes. For people who have high blood pressure, and smokers over 35 years old, doctors don’t prescribe estrogen containing birth control because the risk just gets too high. According to the CDC (Center for Disease Control and Prevention), 900,000 Americans a year are affected by blood clots and birth control is listed as a risk factor. But Dr. Reddy says that if you’re on the pill do not panic because birth control pills are safe for most women. However, they concluded that birth control pills can lead to blood clots or strokes, but it is rare.

            TMZ comes out with a story about Hailey Bieber, married to Justine Bieber. On March 10, 2022, Hailey suffered a mini- stroke and spoke out about it on April. She had said that she felt a “weird sensation” in her right arm and her finger tips went numb. She was rushed to the hospital where doctors found a small blood clot in her brain and diagnosed her with a Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA). Doctors were unclear what caused it, so she went to other doctors to get a second opinion. But they all came to 3 possible conclusions: she had started taking birth control pills, she had recently had COVID, and she had really gone on a really long flight. The conclusion to the story is, birth control pills can affect you especially when you have a medical diagnosis. She was lucky to have been caught on time.

            According to Planned Parenthood, “a lot of people like using condoms and other birth control together because it helps them relax and not worry about accidentally causing a pregnancy or transmitting STDs, and that can make sex more enjoyable”. Additionally, they claim that the pill has some advantages and that some people who don’t need to take it nevertheless should be able to do so because birth control offers protection against PMS symptoms like cramping and melancholy. Additionally, it can control menstrual periods, making them lighter and shorter. However, considering that this is Planned Parenthood, they are merely doing what they are paid to do by persuading you to use birth control so you won’t become pregnant.

            What are some hormonal contraceptives’ and birth control’s alternatives today? Well, there is the withdrawal technique, which is the obvious choice. Since not everyone will find this effective, you can also use condoms, such as male or female condoms. For people who do not want to have children in the future, a bilateral tubal ligation and tubal micro implants are a permanent answer. They are the greatest option for women who have ruled out pregnancy because they are very effective, irreversible, and safe. 

Most women are unsure whether they are doing the right thing by using non-hormonal contraception such as condoms to prevent pregnancy. The truth is that birth control pills will have a different effect on each woman. However, you are still receiving a reaction. Your hormones are still either imbalanced or balanced. Whatever the circumstance, something in your body is changing. This brings me back to my original question: how have women dealt with the hormonal changes caused by birth control pills? Women have dealt with them in some/rare cases by ending up in the hospital due to a stroke or blood clot. Because of alterations to their bodies, others have stopped doing it. What makes specific birth control methods recommended by doctors? To put it succinctly, it is their duty. How frequently have you taken a medicine that a doctor prescribed, and instead of making you feel better, it made you feel worse? The occurrence is frequent. So, yes, doctors do advise birth control because it will aid in a particular issue, but you should always be aware of the potential long-term effects on what birth control pills may be doing to your body.

Works Cited

Gloria A. Bachmann, MD. “Preventing Pregnancy Without Hormones“. Clinical Advisor, 2007, 

https://www.clinicaladvisor.com/home/features/preventing-pregnancy-without-hormones/ Accessed 1 Dec 2022.

Kendall “Should I Be On The Pill? I Always Use Condoms And None Have Ever 

Ripped.“. Plannedparenthood.Org, 2022, https://www.plannedparenthood.org/learn/ask-experts/should-i-be-on-the-pill-i-always-use-condoms-and-none-have-ever-ripped Accessed 1 Dec 2022.

Kimberly Daniels, Ph.D. “Current Contraceptive Status Among Women Aged 15-49: United Stated 

2015-2017” https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/databriefs/db327.htm

 

PhD, Sarah. “Feel Like A Different Person On The Pill? Here’s How It Affects Your 

Mood”. Ideas.Ted.Com, 2020, https://ideas.ted.com/how-the-birth-control-pill-affects-your-mood/ Accessed 7 Dec 2022.

 

Skovlund, Charlotte Wessel et al. “Association of Hormonal Contraception With 

Depression.” https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27680324/

 

TMZ, “Hailey Bieber Suffered a mini-stroke last month… Underwent Heart Procedure”

https://www.tmz.com/2022/04/27/hailey-bieber-mini-stroke-heart-procedure/

 

Youtube.Com, 2022, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4EVimsAQ-L4  Accessed 1 Dec 2022.