Birth control pills: What you should and shouldn’t worry about

Now that the pill is soon to be available over the counter in the U.S., experts weigh in on common questions and concerns about the medication.

 Birth Control Side Effects: How hormonal birth control impacts your sex life

A lot of the information out there around birth control side effects falls into one of two categories. People who are pro-hormonal birth control tend to dismiss personal stories on the impacts of those hormones on people’s lives. Meanwhile, those against hormonal birth control demonize it and borrow the language of feminism to make their argument. Both my experience and my professional opinion lie somewhere in the middle.

 Hormonal birth control is a ‘guessing game.’ You’re not making up the side effects

Hormonal birth control affects everybody differently. Many people will happily settle into the first method they try, noting no changes besides their new sperm-rebuffing superpower. For others, though, birth control is a journey.

A Doctor’s Guide to Birth Control Side Effects

Whether you’re currently on birth control, considering going on birth control, or trying to get off of it, here are the facts to be aware of —and the side effects of birth control you’ll find in the fine print of those pamphlets you always toss.

All hormonal contraceptives ‘carry small increased risk of breast cancer’

Research finds use of progestogen is associated with a 20-30% higher risk but this falls after no longer taking it.

Birth Control and Anxiety: What You Need to Know

When wondering if they should get on the pill, many women worry: can birth control cause anxiety? What toll does managing your sexual health take on your mental health? The truth is, it’s complicated. Chemicals in hormonal contraceptives affect the neurotransmitters in your brain, and yes, that could possibly cause anxiety.

Can hormonal birth control trigger depression?

Over the years, more than a few patients in my women's health practice have told me that their hormonal birth control — the pill, patch, ring, implant, injection, or IUD — made them feel depressed. And it's not just my patients: several of my friends have felt the same way. And it's not just me who has noticed this; decades of reports of mood changes associated with these hormone medications have spurred multiple research studies.

Patients and doctors are clashing about side effects of hormonal birth control

When a pediatrician put Maya Prokupets on the birth control pill at age 15 to prevent pregnancy, she doesn’t remember being given any information on possible side effects. But they soon appeared: weight gain and anxiety. Switching to different versions — Apri, Alesse, Desogen, Yasmin, and finally Yaz — only brought new side effects, such as constant nausea and vomiting. She told her clinicians, but none recommended she stop taking hormonal contraception. She chose to do so anyway at age 21 — and her symptoms subsided.

Should I worry about the cancer risk from hormonal contraceptives?

While these drugs do carry a greater breast cancer risk, those chances are very small for people under 40.

The Dangers Every Woman Needs to Know About the Birth Control Pill

Here is an overview of the reported risks and side effects of birth control pills. Some physical and emotional changes take place that are permanent while you stay on the pill. Many of these changes occur as your body’s response to synthetic estrogen.

The Effects of Hormonal Contraceptives on the Brain: A Systematic Review of Neuroimaging Studies

The included studies identified structural and functional changes in areas involved in affective and cognitive processing, such as the amygdala, hippocampus, prefrontal cortex and cingulate gyrus. However, only one study reported primary research on a purely adolescent sample. Thus, there is a need for further investigation of the implications of these findings, especially with regard to adolescent girls.

These Are the Birth Control Options You Can Use if You Have High Blood Pressure

Progesterone-only or non-hormonal methods are your best bet.

What are the Side Effects of Birth Control?

All medications come with potential risks, and birth control pills are no exception. In this article, I’ll cover the known side effects of birth control pills and explore whether birth control pills can have long-term side effects.

Why are women turning to TikTok for advice about the pill? Because doctors won’t listen to us

To counter social-media conspiracy theories, we need more honest information about contraception and its side-effects.

Why Birth Control Side Effects Have Eluded Science

Birth control users say that the drugs can alter their moods. Why have scientists struggled to find a link?

You shouldn't be afraid of hormonal birth control. But here's how to evaluate the risks

Always keep this in mind: All medicine has risks and benefits. There is no miracle drug that's free of side effects. Even something as safe as Tylenol can kill people. But some risk isn't high risk. When a doctor writes a prescription for a treatment, he or she should be doing under the proviso that it'll likely help far more than it'll hurt.