Go make yourself a cup of your favourite hot beverage and sit down with me for a bit of a TMI Tea Time, as we chat about contraception. I’m going to talk about what I use, my experience with it, what sex education is like in my country, and I’m answering some questions from you guys. Enjoy and please feel free to chime in in the comments!
Clarification: hormonal contraception is thought to be protective of endometrial and ovarian cancers, not breast cancer. Sorry!
Thanks for opening up about this! Let me add one very counterintuitive fact about hormonal birth control: long term, regular use has been proven to be protective of breast and ovarian cancer. You read that right! Why? For another very counterintuitive reason: our naturally occurring estrogen, especially with uninterrupted exposure (not having children, not using hormonal contraceptives) places us at higher risk for developing these estrogen related cancers. Which means, too much exposure to our own estrogen predisposes us to these cancers. As if being a woman weren’t hard enough :/
I’d like to say a few things about natural contraception: There is a method that has about the same pearl index as the pill, namely the symptothermal method, also known as Natural Family Planning (NFP). The concept is that a person with a uterus measures their body temperature every morning before getting up and their cervical mucus every day as the mucus changes its consistency in the course of the menstrual cycle (it is not safe to only check on one of them). By checking both these indicators you’re able to determine when your ovulation is over and you can’t get pregnant. During the time you’re fertile, it’s of course an option to use condoms. There are books and websites about this with very detailed explanations (ooc I just checked, there is one in Dutch as well. This is how I learn random vocab.). Studies have shown that in most cases people got pregnant it wasn’t this method that failed but their condom they used while they were fertile. I think not enough people know of NFP or they have a lot of prejudices or they only know of the digital gadgets that can help you with it but that are by no means necessary. For me personally it was the right choice and I’m glad my partner is so into biochemistry he never had any doubt about how well it works, haha! :D
This is what I’m considering switching to when I stop using the Nuvaring. It feels so risky to me and I’m still terrified of pregnancy, haha! But I’ll definitely look into the reliability more, thank you :)
Great video! I used to teach peer sex education in college, and used to want to be a sex therapist, so I’m all about open discussion when it comes to sex. Thanks for sharing your story! Every woman has a story, and I love hearing so many different view points. I enjoy hearing about your country and the social customs and norms there. My husband & I are high school sweethearts, together for 22 years, married for 13. Partners with only each other all those years! I went on the pill at 16 & have loved it & never had any issues. It helps me have a regulated & light cycle, and helps my skin, and I find myself with less appetite on the pill. Go figure. Everyone is truly different. I went off the pill at 30 so I could get pregnant. It took me about a year. We are “one and done” knowing for sure we only want 1 child and not wanting anymore. After I was done breastfeeding my son, I tried a low dose pill with no success. It did not work for me & I was bleeding all month! Yikes! I considered an IUD, which is often recommended for women who’ve had children, but don’t plan to have more. I decided against it because I like the benefits of the pill too much. Like you said, who knows what will happen to me as an old lady after taking it all these years? Hopefully nothing too terrible. As more of my husband’s friends get vasectomies, I encourage my husband to do it more & more. He’s a big baby about needles etc., so he’s not convinced yet, haha! If he does it, I may consider going off the pill. My son saw my pill pack the other day & asked me what it was, and I told him “that’s medicine I take so I won’t have any more kids.” And he was just like, whatever. I speak openly to him about all this stuff, it truly is the best way to go with kids.