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Imagine navigating a labyrinth of birth control options — pills, shots, IUDs, rings — only to find each path fraught with side effects and health concerns. This isn't the plot of a dystopian novel; it's my reality, and the reality for many others. Despite being the daughter of an OBGYN and pursuing a Master's in Public Health with a focus on sexuality, sexual, and reproductive health, I find myself at an impasse: I'm a birth control connoisseur with no winning ticket.
Let me be clear: I am staunchly pro-birth control. Its benefits are well-documented, from widening social and economic opportunities to reducing the risk of certain cancers and, of course, preventing unintended pregnancies. Access to birth control is synonymous with autonomy. However, the current state of birth control is far from perfect, and improvement is not just desirable, it's necessary.
My foray into the world of contraception has been a journey through a minefield of adverse effects. The Mirena IUD rewarded me with cystic acne so severe it warranted Accutane treatment, a drug notorious for its teratogenic risks. Various birth control pills have introduced me to the agonies of painful intercourse, debilitating anxiety, and headaches so severe they merited brain scans. It's a cruel irony: contraceptives designed to empower me have instead commandeered my body and peace of mind.
Some dismiss women's accounts of their experiences with contraception, demanding scientific evidence to validate our struggles. The evidence, however, is overwhelmingly clear. A study by the University of Copenhagen tracking over a million women revealed a significant link between hormonal contraceptives and depression. The risks are even steeper for teenagers and those on progestin-only pills. UCLA researchers using MRI scans found that women on the pill had thinner brain regions associated with emotional regulation and decision-making, potentially leading to anxiety and depression. These are not mere anecdotes; these are quantifiable impacts on women's health.
The disparity in how we approach male vs. female contraception is stark. In 2016, a study on male birth control was halted early due to side effects — acne, mood swings, depression. These are the same symptoms women have been expected to tolerate for decades. The abrupt cessation of the male study speaks volumes about the gendered inequities in contraceptive research and tolerance for side effects.
Whether you use birth control or not, society benefits when all individuals have access to and positive experiences with contraception. It's high time for a collective call to action from scientists, researchers, and public health experts. We need to demand better, more tolerable options for birth control — ones that don't require an exhausting trial-and-error process to find a suitable match.
As for me, my search for the ideal contraceptive continues. I channel my experiences into my podcast, Sex Ed with DB, where I share honest, vulnerable stories and medically accurate information. Join me as I explore these issues further, and stay tuned for the upcoming fourth season, set to release on May 6th, 2020.