Birth Control Myths

Dear Madame X,

Love waits and I did until I was married. We’ve just back from our honeymoon where we went through packs of condoms, and we have decided that we hate them. They’re just gross. We don’t want to have kids yet, but abstinence is over (Yeah!), so what are my options? I don’t want to gain weight or get pimples again (hello teenage self), and I’ve heard I might have fertility problems if I take it for too long, so the pill is out, right?

Thanks,

Potential Pill Taker

Dear Potential,

First of all, when the pill first came out over 40 years ago there were a lot of problems. At that time they were still trying to figure out how to make it work and what level of hormones to include and it took a while to sort this out. Because of this some of the negative associations with the pill seem to have stayed around, but rest assured the majority of these are myths and in general the pill is perfectly safe to take and even has some benefits.

Myth 1: The pill will cause infertility or it will take a long time to become fertile after you stop taking it.

Fact 1: This is not true and is probably the myth that bothers me the most. The pill has to be taken every 24 hours for it to work effectively because the hormones needed only last that long in your body. The majority of women who get pregnant while on the pill do so because they have taken it incorrectly or missed some doses. Your fertility will be back within hours, not months or years, as is often claimed.

Myth 2: The pill will lower your libido.

Fact 2: It is true that some women find their libido is lowered, however, the freedom of being on the pill and not worrying about getting pregnant allows many women to enjoy spontaneous sex whenever and wherever they choose, and an increased sex drive is definitely something to celebrate!

Myth 3: The pill will give you acne.

Fact 3: Generally the opposite is true with some pills marketed not as birth control, but as a drug to prevent acne. If you do have a problem with the pill giving you spots, just try again with a different hormone combination; there are many pills to choose from that could improve your complexion.

Myth 4: The pill will make you gain weight.

Fact 4: In general, the pill will not make you gain weight. The small percentage of women who do is because of how the hormones affect their appetite, but they only gain, on average, about 5 pounds. A good way to work it off? More sexercise!

Myth 5: Women over 35 cannot take the pill.

Fact 5: In general, pills are not recommended for women over the age of 35 who are also smokers. This is because there is a higher risk for cardiovascular side-effects. However, this will depend on your family history so it is something you will need to discuss with a doctor if it applies to you. And if you are not a smoker you can use the pill until menopause if you like; bonk until babies are no longer a possibility!

The main thing to remember about the pill is that there are many different hormone combinations to choose from and trying them out while keeping in contact with your doctor will allow you the best possible outcome. If you do have negative side effects let you doctor know what they are and you can try another pill with a different hormone combination until your body and the pills get along.

The majority of women use the pill with great success and the additional positive benefits of regular periods, less cramping and PMS, less acne, and lower chance of ovarian cysts, cancers, and ectopic pregnancies.

These are just some of the many myths about the pill. If you have any questions about these or other specific myths please email me and I will address them here.

This article will normally appear on Hump Day, Wednesday, to spice up your week.

Please email me with any and all questions about sex and relationships and I will attempt to answer them in this column.