Reproductive Health: Ten Things To Be Careful Of When Starting The Pill
Reproductive health is a very important topic. It involves a lot of issues, really — from different ailments that a lot of people are completely unaware of, despite how widespread they are (like PCOS, endometriosis and others), to the things you can, cannot, should and should not do.
Starting the pill is one of those topics. Everyone knows of oral contraceptives and what they’re supposed to do, but the actually important info always has to be pulled out of doctors… or, well, Google. Regardless, a lot of things in regards to starting the pill are not common knowledge that you’re taught in sex ed, even though it probably should be.
I’ve been on the pill since I was fourteen — PCOS and all — and yet there still are things I keep finding out up to this day. So I figured I should share the forbidden knowledge with you all, since I can.
One and two: The choice and preparation
After moving to the UK, I’ve discovered that starting the pill in some places is extremely easy, which is both good and bad.
It’s good because it provides a healthcare service that people in a lot of places struggle to obtain, thus facilitating many lives.
It’s bad because there is much less proper control over what pills you take.
Surprise, surprise: a lot of pills are different, work differently and cannot be taken by everyone equally. Listen to me: it is incredibly important that you do the proper hormonal blood tests before picking out and starting the pill.
Different pills have different active hormones, react differently to various factors, are more prone to cause blood clots, yada yada yada. Without knowing why you shouldn’t be taking certain pills you could put yourself at serious risks, sometimes life-threatening.
Push your doctor to give you the blood testing referral. It’s genuinely super important, despite how easily they may sometimes just drop any random pills onto you and say that it’s safe to take them.
Three: The side effects
Well, it’s no surprise that hormonal medication will have side effects, sadly, but those can be very different.
They vary from headaches, to nausea, to weight gain, to mood swings, to lighter or, on the contrary, heavier menstruation—you name it. If you can think of a side effect, then the pill has the potential of having it.
The thing is, while some side effects like, say, headaches, are something people can deal with, and others, like weight gain, can be practically invisible if you lead a healthy lifestyle, some are a red flag.
If after starting the pill you notice that your cramps got more painful, or that there’s some new pain (like in your breasts) that was never there before, then it’s a clear sign you should be taking a different pill.
Whatever side effects you have, though, bring them up with your gynaecologist. Don’t put it off.
Four: The reason
There are multiple reasons to be starting the pill, really.
It’s primary use is for contraception, which makes sense. Don’t wanna get pregnant — hop onto the pill (but don’t forget about condoms, please, I beg you).
However, there are many other uses for the pill. If you have irregular periods, periods that are too heavy, periods that are too painful, hormonal disbalances, PCOS, endometriosis, acne and god knows how many other things — starting the pill may be the solution to it all.
Five: Dedication
The importance of how dedicatedly regularly you take the pill should not be overlooked. Regardless if you’re starting the pill for medical reasons (like me) or to just use as contraceptives, you should be aware that there’s a dosage and directions on taking it for a reason.
Not only are you potentially sabotaging yourself if you’re not taking it on time — because that increases the risk of pregnancy dramatically — you’re also kind of throwing your body in for a loop.
It’s not fatally dangerous at all, obviously, but it may mess your periods up. Do you want that? I doubt it.
Six: It’s not 100% effective
While starting the pill is one of the most effective ways of using conraception – its levels of success being in the upper 90% – it’s still not certain that you will not get pregnant on the pill.
It does seem annoying to use double protection when you’re already going through the trouble of taking meds, but none of the methods of contraception are 100% certain. That said, the pill and condoms are the best combination. Not only because that makes your chances of getting pregnant on accident practically non-existent…
Seven: It doesn’t protect from STIs
…but also because condoms will protect you from any sexually-transmitted diseases and infections, while the pill will not.
A lot of people, when starting the pill, kind of forget that pregnancy is not the only issue that comes out of having sex. Sadly, there are a lot of other things to be on the lookout for that the pill will not help with – but a condom will.
Eight: It’s not a lot to get used to
A lot of people are scared of starting the pill. Just like I’d mentioned in point five, it does require a certain amount of dedication, but it’s nothing unbearable.
If anything, training your responsibility after starting the pill is quite easy. Either combine your daily intake with some other activity you’re sure you won’t forget – put your pills next to your other medication, your toothbrush, your hairbrush or whatever else you use regularly – or set an alarm on your phone.
Physically, too, if you pick out the right meds, then there shouldn’t be any drastic changes. And the changes that do happen – like lighter periods, which happens to most women that take the pill – are not just easy to get used to, they’re actually quite welcome to stay.
Nine: There’s a lot of fear-mongering surrounding it
A lot of people associate starting the pill with something terrible, all because of the amount of misinformation flying around.
No, the pill does not cause infertility. No, the pill does not cause birth defects in case you decide to get pregnant. No, the pill does not cause cancer.
Do not listen to sensationalist headlines and do proper research. And, just to avoid any possible damage, be completely honest about all of your habits when consulting a medical professional.
Ten: The pressure
One thing that a lot of women give in to when starting the pill is outside pressure.
It can be different kinds of pressure: from your family that’s yelling into your ear about how evil the pill is, how it causes defects or promotes promiscuity (don’t listen to them), to your partner pressuring you into taking the pill because they’re too lazy to use other protection (kick their ass. You deserve better).
Now, don’t get me wrong – outside advice and ideas can be very welcome, if you genuinely have the time and opportunity to consider them before starting the pill, or after deciding to stop taking it. However, be careful – it should be your own decision. That’s all there is to it.
