Is Birth Control Messing With My Hormones?

If your birth control is hormonal, then it is having an impact on your hormones. I don’t know if I’d use the term “messing with,” but they definitely have an impact.

Hormonal methods, like the pill, the implant, the shot, the patch, the hormonal IUD (not the non-hormonal IUD), all impact your hormones.

The impact they have is based on which type you’re using. For example, the implant contains only progestin, no estrogen. Same for the hormonal IUDs like Mirena and Kyleena.

These are going to impact you a bit differently than something like the birth control pill might.

There are many birth control pills on the market, and they usually have a combination of progestin and estrogen. The levels of hormones in pills tend to be higher than in other methods. Also, because you have to take the pill every day, there’s going to be daily changes in your hormone level.

The minipill is progestin only. So while we’ll see daily fluctuations in hormone levels, the levels are lower than other birth control pills. As a side note, the minipill was FDA approved for sale over the counter in 2023. This means you don’t need a prescription to get it.

The impact of these hormones is how these methods work. They prevent your body from ovulating. If there’s no viable egg then you can’t get pregnant.

For many people the main goal of using hormonal methods is to prevent pregnancy. But some people use these methods for other reasons. The pill may be prescribed to help with everything from PMS to ovarian cysts. Some people use them to help with PCOS and endometriosis.

Using hormonal methods will help to regulate your cycle and can lessen your period cramps. Some hormonal methods may cause you to stop getting your period completely. For some women, this is worth any other side effects that come with using a hormonal method. Some people specifically choose their hormonal method so that they stop getting their period.

There are a lot of side effects that someone might experience when using a hormonal contraceptive. These can range from headaches to depression to nausea (although nausea tends to get better after a while).

Despite all these side effects, more than half of women who start using a hormonal method of contraception will still be using it after a year.

For some people, they may not think the side effects are that bad. For some, it may be that the side effects are worth it if it helps them to prevent pregnancy. This can be especially true for women who live in states where it is difficult, if not impossible, to get an abortion if they do become pregnant and don’t want to have a baby.

If you’re worried about the impact of using a hormonal method, I would encourage you to talk to your health care provider.

Whether or not hormonal methods are worth the impact on your body is totally up to you. The one thing I would encourage you to keep in mind is that hormonal methods provide no protection against STIs. So if you’re concerned about those, then definitely consider using a condom along with your hormonal method.

Until next time, be safe and have fun!

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