Hormonal Contraception
Has Consequences
Is it ever worth taking a Group 1 carcinogen to control fertility? According to the Center for Disease Control, 9 out of 100 women each year who take the Pill faithfully as directed will get pregnant.1 Also, 1 in 5 teen couples using condoms as birth control became pregnant after 1 year. Besides that, hormonal contraceptives, the Pill, the Patch and the Shot have side effects–some minor (uncomfortable and inconvenient) and some major–even life threatening.
Some Minor Side Effects:
- Weight Gain
- Depression
- Mood Changes
- Dizziness
- Headaches
- Nausea
- Breakthrough Bleeding
- Breast Tenderness
Some Major Health Risks:
- 2–3 times the risk of lung blood clots.2
- Decreased bone density.3
- Increased risk of heart attack and stroke.4
- The Pill increases your risk of human papilloma virus (HPV) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).5
- The Pill can increase your risk of cancer. The Pill is a known Group 1 carcinogen for breast6,7, 8, and cervical cancer9 according to the U.N.’s International Agency on Research of Cancer (IARC). Long-term hormonal contraception was associated with an increase in glioma, a brain cancer.10
- Development of Multiple Sclerosis has been linked to hormonal contraception.11
What They're Not Telling You...
Depending on the type of hormonal birth control pill chosen, it can work in one of two ways. One pill works by releasing synthetic progesterone during the entire cycle, tricking the body into thinking it's pregnant. The other type called "combination pills" release a large dose of synthetic progesterone and estrogen during the first two stages of the cycle and placebo pills are taken in the third stage that allow hormonal withdrawal bleeding (which is not a menstrual period). The endocrine disrupting chemicals used in birth control are synthetic estradiol and progestins. These are not bioidentical to natural hormones. They are released at a specific time in a woman's cycle to prevent ovulation.
A healthy reproductive system involves ovulation and a careful balance of progesterone and estrogen at the right times in the cycle. Health issues such as PMS, acne, painful cramping, heavy periods or PCOS are all signs of unbalanced hormones and reveal health problems. Hormonal birth control suppresses natural hormones and stops these symptoms. It does not treat underlying health problems. When a woman is on the pill for many years then stops using it when she wants children, these underlying health issues may be revealed. As doctors attempt to treat hidden abnormalities, it often leads to the need for expensive infertility interventions. When a woman learns how to track her biological markers of fertility, it’s possible for a qualified medical professional to identify and address these health issues swiftly and at a lower cost.
A healthy, functioning reproductive system includes monthly menstruation. The pill works by suppressing natural fertility. If fertility isn’t a disease, why treat it like one?
There are ways to keep a healthy reproductive system working with the body instead of against it. If a doctor prescribes hormonal birth control which contains a class A carcinogen, seek non-chemical alternatives. 11 It is empowering to know how the body works.
