Here’s what people need to know when starting birth control

The birth control pill’s dark history

In 1950, Planned Parenthood reached out to scientists to research and develop a safe and reliable contraceptive. The pill was only tested on 130 women instead of the normal thousands of patients it takes to get something FDA approved. It was also tested involuntarily in Puerto Rico where women were coerced into poorly developed forms of the pill which resulted in three women dying, according to The Washington Post.

“We have more options for birth control methods in our modern-day,” Boulder Community Hospital Midwife Angela Stevens said. “We now have better technology for tracking natural family planning, implants, access via organizations like Planned Parenthood, hormonal IUDs, and so much more.”

Here is a blueprint for everything you need to know about birth control including what you need to know about them, where to find them, and what method is best for you.

Birth control myths

There is extensive research online on how birth control can affect a woman’s weight and mental health, but to what extent can we attribute these changes to the contraceptive specifically. 

“The pill I am taking made me gain 10 pounds and made me feel less confident in myself,” said Emma Perih, a student at the University of Colorado Boulder. “I don’t know whether or not to attribute this weight gain to solely the pill itself, the way birth control makes you want to indulge more in unhealthier foods and habits, or the lack of motivation I feel when it comes to working out.” 

Steven said that what Perih described is common.

“This absolutely can be a side effect. I always say, never underestimate the power of hormones!” Stevens said, “I always advise women that they should pay attention to these changes and if there has been a significant increase of symptoms that are not pleasant then we will discuss other options.“

The hidden side-effects

When Perih started taking birth control at 15-years-old, she wasn’t presented with all the possible options. The “one pill fits all” mentality was pushed on her instead.

“I didn’t know anything about the way it could affect my mental health before first starting it in high school,” she said. “It can be severe. I became aware of those specific effects on my own, and  I wish I could have learned more about that before making that decision at a pretty young age.”

“I think doctors could do a better job educating and warning young people about that component of it,” Perih added. 

When asked how medical professionals can help young adults know their options, Stevens said, “I think that if young women start their sexual reproductive health care journey with a nurse-midwife they can build trust, relationships, and will have a collaborative health care provider to share information with them.”

Stevens would like to see more education around the different types of birth control, too.

“I think that we should add family planning into sexual reproductive health education to all students,” Stevens said.

The term “family planning,” according to Planned Parenthood, refers to the service aimed to decrease unwanted pregnancies and help people control when they want children.

The future of birth control

The research into male birth control lost funding due to side effects of depression and low sex drive found in male participants (common side effects of existing birth controls. As far as new female forms of birth control,  there are still some new contraceptives in the market, according to a medically reviewed article from WebMD.

The first long-acting vaginal ring (Annovera) was just released as well as a redesigned female condom and new progesterone-only pills. Among other forms, a new non-hormonal birth control called Phexxi was a recently FDA-approved contraceptive that utilizes injectable vaginal gel to control pH balance in the vagina and kill sperm, according to the same site.  

Where to find birth control in the Boulder area 

Luckily, there are plenty of options available when it comes to getting birth control these days. You can visit your primary care doctor, or if that isn’t an option for you, you can even get birth control delivered to your door through services like The Pill Club or Nurx, at a low cost without insurance, or at no cost with most insurance plans. 

If you want to try something different like IUDs, vaginal rings, or other non-oral contraceptives you can visit your local Planned Parenthood office or Wardenburg Health Center on CU’s campus.

Stevens added that apps like Contraceptive Technologies, Aviva Romm, Hesperian guides can help provide trusted information on birth control from experts in the field. 

On-campus at CU, there is a Sexual and Reproductive Health Clinic located in the Wardenburg Health Building. The facility provides care to all gender identities and sexual orientations. Nurse practitioners, registered nurses and health care technicians can provide anything from preventative care and contraceptive advice to giving Pap Smear and STD tests. 

For more information on what birth control is right for you, consider taking Planned Parenthood’s quiz or asking your primary care provider.