By Teagan Rowe
Like most prescribed medications, the oral contraceptive pill is designed to help you in more ways than one. But when it comes to the pill, how do you know if it’s right for you at all?
While some people receive prescriptions for different types of pills based on their individual needs, many women are prescribed a daily contraceptive pill that is made up of two synthetic hormones: progesterone and oestrogen. Both are naturally occurring in the body, and ultimately make up what we know as the menstrual cycle.
Women are most commonly acquainted with menstruation as a period that lasts for about a week (less for some, more for others), but the female body actually experiences 4 phases that occur for approximately one week each over a monthly basis. These cycles are often a big indicator of why you may be feeling certain things. The phases are:
- Menstruation
- The Follicular Phase
- Ovulation
- The Luteal Phase
Essentially, the female body is constantly working to prepare the body for conception. During all four phases, the natural hormones, progesterone and oestrogen, are constantly spiking and dipping. The contraceptive pill works by neutralizing these hormones (dropping to allow for a synthetic menstrual cycle) to stop the egg from being released (ovulation—phase 3), eliminating any chance for sperm to connect with the egg (conception, potential pregnancy).
The pill is a general combination of hormones prescribed to all women, and yet, it’s not one-size fits all. So why are we all prescribed with the same contraceptive?
Throughout their teens and even into their early twenties, people often experience facial acne related to hormone fluctuations and imbalances. Occasionally, some types of contraceptive pills can help hormonal acne by neutralizing intense hormone fluctuations by using different levels of progesterone and oestrogen. But does that actually work? For most, the answer is no.
Because the pill intervenes with your body’s natural hormones, it generally takes up to three months for your body to become used to the new synthetic hormones running your body.
“I never had acne before going on the pill, and during the year that I was on the pill, my skin has never been worse” – Anonymous QUT student 1.
Here are some things that can happen while your body adjusts:
- Mood swings
- Breast soreness
- Headaches
- Back pain
- Change in taste
- Stomach cramping
- Acne
But the pill doesn’t just affect women physically.
Studies show the contraceptive pill has been known to increase depression and anxiety in some women.
This is an extreme reaction to the pill, but something more common is knowing that the level of contraception is completely reliant on the individual taking them. Obviously, human error is involved and if you’re on the pill for years at a time, mistakes are bound to be made.
The constant stress about taking the pill daily, at the same time, and having to take a Plan B (morning-after pill) when the pill is disrupted by sickness, affects the mental health of many women.
While less extreme than the increase of mental illness, the little information provided for women about their health and the pill creates constant and unnecessary worry for the majority of women that I know who have been on the pill.
“I am no longer on the pill, but when I was, I was constantly on edge, not knowing whether my pill was working or not. I didn’t know if I could drink on the pill, and I was just constantly stressed. It was affecting my mental health.” – Anonymous QUT student 2
This has been a common occurrence with women I know who were, or are currently, on the pill. They don’t fully understand the extent of the pill, and what does and doesn’t affect its effectiveness is blurred by popular myths.
Here are some that I can dispel for you 😉
Myth 1: The pill can help with acne
This can be false for many people. Health professionals say any birth control containing hormones will affect acne in some way; progesterone only or progesterone-heavy birth control can be known to negatively influence acne, while estrogen only or estrogen-heavy birth control can be known to positively influence and help clear your skin. If you struggle with acne, it might be worth discussing the option of estrogen-heavy birth control.
Myth 2: The pill stops working after missing one pill
The pill is advised to be taken daily, reinforcing those two hormones in the body on a day-to-day basis. While it is important to consistently take the pill at the same time every day to ensure its effectiveness, you don’t immediately have to take Plan B if you miss one day.
Myth 3: The pill is ineffective when drinking alcohol
The pill takes up to 2 hours to absorb into the bloodstream (3-4 hours to be safe). Once the pill is absorbed, there is nothing within the digestive system that can alter its efficacy. However, drinking alcohol alone won’t affect the pill in any way, but vomiting from it will if it occurs within ~3 hours of taking the pill.
While most people go on the pill primarily for birth control, some choose to take the prescribed contraception to help manage conditions like polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)—recently renamed polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome (PMOS)—an imbalance of reproductive and metabolic hormones with symptoms like irregular or absent periods, excess facial or body hair, metabolic and weight changes, fertility, and emotional impacts.
Despite the pill being prescribed to those suffering with conditions like this, it doesn’t always mean that it’s the correct path.
“I wish that 15-year-old me knew there was more than one way to manage PCOS. I wish I had been given the knowledge and support to explore all options instead of thinking the pill was the only path.” – Anonymous QUT student 1
So, even though your doctors may prescribe you with a specific contraceptive pill, know that it still might not be for you. Unfortunately, because of the lack of understanding about women’s health, finding the right contraceptive is not a quick and easy process, but trust that there is one out there for you.
And remember:
Don’t just rely on “knowing your body”, if the idea of contraception is something you are wanting.
It might take time, energy, and money, but at the end of the day, remaining comfortable in your body while feeling contraceptive safe is worth it.
To understand your options, and the difference between them, next month’s piece will have you covered.
