Pros and cons of hormonal contraceptives
The modern world finally gives human individuals the opportunity to get rid of accumulated and ingrained prejudices and stereotypes. Women are no exception. Because during this process, women received full rights to manage their lives, their bodies and their opinions as they see fit.
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This also applies to sexual life, the discussion of which has long been taboo. It was the creation and development of hormonal contraceptives that allowed the fairer sex to take control of their body and health.
Definition of hormonal contraception
These hormonal pills are mainly needed to protect women from conceiving unwanted children during sexual intercourse. Thanks to these drugs, women can easily control pregnancy and stop this process without harm to their body. Compared to other means of protection, they are significantly better in all respects.
Of course, a remarkable effect can only be achieved if all precautions and dosages are observed. Unfortunately, hormonal contraceptives have one significant drawback. That is, they do not prevent sexually transmitted infections. This alone makes them inferior compared to the classic means of protection — the condom.
The principle of action of these drugs to combat unwanted pregnancy is very simple and differs little between different brands of drugs. They interfere with the ovulation process and prevent the egg from implanting on the surface of the uterus. Thus, they “calm down” the ovaries and prevent conception. This effect is achieved by introducing synthetic hormones into the body, created as analogues of real hormones.
It is strongly recommended to take such drugs only during late puberty, when the monthly cycle of egg renewal is already formed. This means aged 16-19 years. Such drugs can be freely taken until the woman’s body stops the menstrual cycle and menopause begins.
Doctors do not see any danger in the constant use of such drugs. If a woman has no side effects and does not complain of malaise or weakness, she may well take the medication without interruption. They should be abandoned only if the woman decides not to interfere with the process of conception and carry the child to term while breastfeeding.
However, this approach is safe only if the gynecologist and endocrinologist perform their work responsibly and study the patient’s characteristics in as much detail as possible. Only if they have done everything correctly can they prescribe the correct medicine and its appropriate dosage. It is necessary to conduct both a complete physical examination and an examination aimed at searching for gynecological and endocrine pathologies.
Widespread use of hormonal drugs
Due to the fact that hormonal contraceptives can affect the entire hormonal background of a woman’s body, they are often used as a means of treating various diseases. Many Western experts in the field of gynecology and endocrinology are convinced that many women suffer from the fact that their biological reproductive mechanisms are not adapted to modern life.
How is this expressed? Too little time has passed for the female body to evolve and accept the fact that there is no need for frequent pregnancies and large offspring. Girls and women experience significant menstrual irregularities due to the constant stress and heavy social burden associated with their ability to bear children. This disorder is also affected by the advent of contraception.
From the moment people learned to protect themselves before sex, the female body has experienced constant dissonance. Indeed, gender, all receptors, all sensations and reactions indicate that the pregnancy period follows pleasure. Therefore, the body adjusts its hormonal levels to this, but due to contraception, nothing happens, there is no pregnancy, and the hormonal balance changes.
Hormonal contraception to prevent pregnancy can also smooth out these hormonal levels and relieve the body of the feeling that conception and pregnancy inevitably follow sex. This allows women to not waste as much energy on changes in body condition and hormonal balance that are not happening due to contraception.
Moreover, these hormonal pills can reverse the effects of hormonal imbalance in a woman”s body. For example, psychological problems, menstrual irregularities, infertility, obesity, excessive hair growth, inflammation of the mammary glands, the appearance of skin diseases. In addition, proper use of these medications can ensure that menstruation occurs without bleeding.
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Dangers of hormonal birth control medications
There are many contraindications to drugs that affect the hormonal system. Moreover, hormonal contraceptives are no exception to this rule. After all, with their help you can influence not only the reproductive system, but also all systems of the entire body and the entire body as a whole. Failure to properly use may result in serious health problems if warnings are ignored.
There are many myths and stereotypes about the use of hormonal drugs, which can lead to unpleasant and dangerous consequences. For example, on body and facial weight or strong hair growth. Or cardiovascular problems, the development of chemical dependence, memory loss, etc. Some of these side effects were only experienced by the first drugs that affected the hormonal balance in the body.
Modern drugs that affect the level of hormones in the human body have a concentration of toxic substances that could potentially cause the listed side effects, tens of times lower than their predecessors on the pharmacological market. This almost completely deprives such drugs of any health hazard and allows them to be taken whenever possible, taking into account the doctor’s recommendations regarding the regimen and dosage.
Of course, it is almost impossible to eliminate all side effects. In rare cases, the blood”s ability to clot may be increased. This often leads to the development of thromboembolic diseases in humans. Women who smoke are at greatest risk. Also those who have a genetic predisposition to it.
Why does smoking receive so much attention? This bad habit increases the risk of blood clots almost as much as hormonal contraceptives. For most women over 35 years of age, doctors refuse to prescribe these contraceptives. Even if you don”t smoke at the moment, your past “experience” is already having a negative impact on your body.
The greatest likelihood of blood clots forming in blood vessels is observed in the first year of taking hormonal drugs, including contraceptives. Also in the first six months after stopping a cycle of taking these drugs. Therefore, doctors do not recommend taking such drugs for less than a year without a break. And they do not recommend taking short breaks while taking them — the body needs at least a year to recover before a new cycle.
Hormonal contraception / types, pros and cons
The combination of these toxic substances in the body and the use of hormones can cause serious harm. Therefore, you should inform your doctor about your habits to avoid putting yourself at risk. In this case, it is recommended to stop using these dangerous substances as soon as possible and completely.
There is also a risk of developing cervical cancer when taking hormonal drugs. However, this only becomes really important if the woman is not using contraception or is already infected with a virus that can cause these diseases. In this case, hormonal drugs are not the cause of these medical conditions, but a simple trigger.
Myths and stereotypes
There is a stereotype that taking drugs that affect the hormonal balance in the body can significantly worsen a person’s mental and emotional state. To some extent this is true. However, only if the patient’s body is intolerant to progestogens and other ingredients. It is responsible for protecting the psyche and emotions of people from the side effects of hormonal drugs. If such intolerance does occur, it is enough to change the drug, since there are many ingredients with a similar effect, but different composition.
Depression itself is not a reason to stop taking hormonal oral contraceptives. Indeed, depression is not considered a contraindication even for conventional fertility medications. However, caution should be exercised. If a patient”s mental health problems are severe enough to require a therapeutic medication, it should not interfere with contraception.
There is also a myth that hormonal contraceptives negatively affect the reproductive system, that they can cause infertility and developmental problems in the womb. Fortunately, these myths are untrue. Inhibition of ovarian activity and suppression of ovulation are processes that can be transformed. While these processes are occurring, the ovaries themselves are in a “dormant” state, and the body”s hormonal balance is very balanced and stable.
The study found no evidence that such birth control pills can cause a decrease in the number of eggs in a woman”s body. On the contrary, such drugs are used to treat infertility. This occurs because, after the adoption process is complete, the reproductive organs “wake up” and can function with increased efficiency.
Taking hormonal contraceptives does not affect the health of the fetus or the severity of the pregnancy. The risks of taking these medications are often greatly exaggerated. Many doctors reassure their patients that neither the current nor previous courses of hormonal medications will affect their health or the health of the unborn child.
And the last rumor that often frightens women is amenorrhea—a condition in which menstruation ceases. Although many women are happy to be free of the constant fluctuations in hormone levels and pain, this condition is a serious pathology. This cannot occur within three months of stopping hormonal contraceptives. However, this is normal. If these changes do not occur for a long time, it is a reason to consult a doctor.
Modern hormonal contraceptives are practically unpopular in Russia. According to surveys, only 1 in 10 women have used these methods to avoid unwanted pregnancy. In the West and the United States, these figures are much higher.
This is due to the strong reliance on stereotypes, non-expert opinions, and personal assumptions in Russian society. However, in most cases, hormonal contraceptives are safe for health.
