BIRTH CONTROL
BIRTH CONTROL
Contraception has revolutionized women’s health and lives. There are many different options to find something that works for you and your goals. We, as naturopathic doctors, do not prescribe birth control, but are happy to chat about options with our patients - and can discuss those options here!
BIRTH CONTROL PILL
The oral contraceptive pill comes in a few forms, but in general it provides a dose of exogenous (external) hormones to alter ovulation and your uterine lining. They must be taken every day (depending on the type of ocp, they vary) and most have a week of placebo pills which cause a withdrawal bleed (period). This isn’t a “real” period, but rather one induced by being off the medication for a week. When our patients come to us on the birth control pill we will often support them with potential nutrient deficiencies (this can happen with lots of medications). Then, when transitioning off the pill is right for them, we support them with any unaddressed hormonal issues that may have been there before going on the medication, or their current goals (potentially fertility, exploring other contraceptive options).
INTRA-UTERINE DEVICE (IUD)
An intra-uterine device (IUD) is another option - coming in two forms, hormonal or non-hormonal. They are inserted by a MD in the uterus, and can serve as a long-term form of contraception. The hormonal form provides a type of progesterone directly to the uterus. The non-hormonal version is made of copper and creates a less desirable environment for implantation of an egg, preventing pregnancy.
FERTILITY AWARENESS METHOD
You may have heard of the Fertility Awareness Method as either for avoiding pregnancy or for aiming to get pregnant! It involves tracking your temperature every morning to watch for trends in your cycle, to determine when you ovulate (release egg). It can be very helpful for fertility in terms of timing intimacy. On the flip side this information can be used to time intimacy AWAY from ovulation.
The obvious side effect of this method, if you are using it for contraception, is pregnancy. This can also mean relying on other methods (barrier contraceptives) for the majority of the month - especially if you have inconsistent cycles. There is more room for error in this method but definitely teaches you about your own body - which can be empowering!
There is no method that is “better” than another, just what works for your lifestyle, goals and health.
If you want to chat more about options, we are always here for you and to empower you to make the decision that works for YOU.