When it comes to birth control options, there usually isn’t a whole lot of discussion that goes on between women and their doctors and it’s unfortunate because a lot of women do have legitimate questions and concerns regarding the safety of contraceptives but never ask their doctors. Don’t be one of those women! Here are five questions you should definitely ask your doctor before going on the Pill or any other form of contraception.
1. “What are the side effects of birth control?”
We’ve all heard of those crazy, horrific stories about women who were on the Pill, the patch or the ring. Headaches, dizziness, nausea, decreased libido, mood swings, breast tenderness, and blood clots are all possible side effects of birth control, but it’s important to remember that the results will be different for everyone.
“Most women tolerate birth control without any significant side effects,” says Dr. Bola Oyeyipo, a family physician in San Antonio, Texas and co-founder of Healthgist.com. “When present, side effects are usually mild, but the severity could vary from person to person.”
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2. “If I’m not sexually active, should I still take birth control?”
The truth of the matter is that anything can happen at any given moment. What if you break up with your partner and then reunite the following month? What if, God forbid, you were to be sexually assaulted? At the very least, you would have the comfort of knowing you will not become pregnant. It doesn’t hurt to be safe.
“The Pill takes a full menstrual cycle of consistent use to prevent the ovulation process so to confidently prevent an unwanted pregnancy, it’s best to stay on the pill, even if you’re not currently sexually active as your situation may change – and quickly might I add,” advises Dr. Oyeyipo.3. “Are there any other reasons to go on the Pill?”
Believe it or not, the reasons why many women begin taking birth control has nothing at all to do with sex. “Even when birth control is not the desired outcome, there are reasons that women could benefit from birth control,” Dr. Oyeyipo says. “We use birth control pills to regulate the menstrual cycle and reduce the menstrual flow for women with heavy periods.”
Breast cyst and ovarian cyst management and acne control are some of the other non-sex related reasons why some women may be prescribed birth control.
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4. “What’s the best method?”
From the Pill to the patch to the ring to hormone shots, there are so many birth control methods out there, but it goes without saying that every woman has to decide for herself what works best for her and her lifestyle.
“The best birth control method is usually the one you can use consistently with little or no side effects to you,” Dr. Oyeyipo explains. “If you can’t form a routine of taking a pill around the same time every day, birth control pills might not be right for you. You would want to explore other formulations of birth control, such as the Depo-Provera injections every three months, intra-uterine device (IUD) or the implantable progesterone.”
5. “What else should I know about birth control?”
It’s important to know all of the risks before taking any new medication and birth control is certainly no exception. “The estrogen-progesterone combination birth control pills are not recommended if you have liver disease, migraines, a history of blood clots, or if you’re a smoker over the age of 35,” Dr. Oyeyipo says. Furthermore, women who were on the Pill had a higher risk of breast, ovarian and endometrial cancer.
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