#hormonal birth control

[dontmeantobepoliticalbut]

Major conservative influencers on social media platforms such as Twitter and Rumble have coalesced in recent months around talking points that connect birth control with a variety of negative health outcomes, which experts say instill fear in women who could otherwise benefit from using birth control.

But the information the influencers are referring to lacks crucial context, says Dr. Danielle Jones, an OB-GYN, and they fail to include recent scientific developments that challenge their narrative.

Tim Pool, Ben Shapiro and Steve Bannon have all made anti-birth control content in the past six months. Sometimes, they feature female conservative personalities who make content about women’s issues.

Alex Clark, who hosts a pop culture show for the youth conservative messaging organization Turning Point USA, is one conservative woman who has railed against hormonal birth control in recent months. The progressive watchdog publication Media Matters for America first reported that Clark said her “mission” is “to get young women off this pill.” In a response sent in a direct message, Clark wrote “Birth control can be right for some in some cases, but we shouldn’t just take it blindly because of acne and we shouldn’t treat it as the default for all women.”

While some strains of conservative politics have spent years attacking birth control, the more recent resurgence of anti-birth control talking points comes alongside a broader push from online conservative creators against the medical establishment and treatments from vaccines to gender-affirming care, all of which have been recommended in certain circumstances by the American Medical Association. In her response, Clark called birth control “synthetic,” as opposed to pregnancy, which she called “natural.”

The social media trend of attacking birth control has also coincided with legal and legislative efforts targeting birth control access, most notably emergency contraceptives. In response to the Supreme Court’s ruling that revoked the constitutional right to an abortion, Justice Clarence Thomas wrote that the court “should reconsider” other decisions, including those codifying the right to contraceptive access.

Jones, who is also a YouTube creator with 1.2 million subscribers, has made multiple videos discussing the rhetoric around reproductive health. In an interview, she said the primary tactic she’s observed on social media to undermine birth control has been “to take a study that backs up what they’re saying, then use that to draw some extravagant conclusion.”

“It’s thinly veiled, but it’s veiled enough that the average person often doesn’t identify it,” she said.

Many videos point to a 2018 study that found an association between taking hormonal birth control and suicide attempts and suicide in women in Denmark. But researchers and physicians who have cited the study have urged patients not to stop using hormonal birth control. Rather, health care experts have said that doctors should discuss any potential mood effects of the medication with patients, as other studies have contradicted the 2018 study, and pregnancy can also have mood side effects.

Ashley St. Clair, who has more than 673,000 Twitter followers, referred to the association suggested in the study in a tweet in which she said “Did you know the birth control pill increases risk of suicide and suicidal ideations?” In June, Twitter owner Elon Musk liked a number of anti-birth control tweets, including St. Clair’s tweet.

Jones said the 2018 Dutch study into suicide and hormonal birth control was “really important and well-done.”

But she said just reading the 2018 study’s abstract and drawing conclusions from that alone is lacking crucial context when making medical decisions. Primarily, she said, the risks of contraceptive use are not compared to the same risks in pregnancy, which she said are higher. The 2018 study specifically acknowledges that pregnancy also has association with higher rates of suicide.

In a phone interview, St. Clair said she believes women are being put on birth control at a young age without being told the risks of depression and suicidal thoughts.

“I was on it at 14 and I wasn’t told these things,” she said. “I really believe there needs to be more education for women around this.”

Similarly, Clark wrote in her response to NBC News that she wants patients to be “radically thoughtful” about making medical decisions.

“That starts with understanding the potential side effects, not downplaying them,” she wrote.

Jones tells her own social media audience to consider the motivation of people who post about birth control online. Oftentimes, they’re coming from a religious or political perspective, or they’re trying to sell something, she said, adding they are neglecting the scientific consensus in favor of alarmist sentiments. She pointed out that the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists has recommended that birth control be offered over the counter to anyone.

“There’s extensive data on this,” she said. “If birth control is safe enough to advocate that it should be over the counter, there’s absolutely no reason it should start to become a topic of legislation about who can access it and why.”

Still, Jones said, the way conservative influencers weaponize research about birth control's side effects has a real-world effect.

She said it is a daily occurrence for women at her practice to decline using hormonal birth control out of fear that it will cause permanent changes to their body and fertility.

“You basically are scaring people out of using birth control and not even comparing it to pregnancy,” Jones said.

In place of birth control, she said, many conservatives have taken a page from the natural health community and promoted cycle tracking and other fertility awareness methods. Several of the female conservative influencers write for and share articles from Evie Magazine, a media company whose founder also created a cycle-tracking startup called 28 by Evie. Conservative billionaire tech titan Peter Thiel has invested in the startup and more recently in fertility companies targeting international markets. During her interview, St. Clair also suggested that women should be taught to track their cycles as an alternative to medication birth control.

But, Jones said, fertility awareness methods to prevent pregnancy could fail “even in the most experienced person.” They require taking the temperature every day before getting out of bed, monitoring cervical mucus and knowing exactly what to look for, keeping track of all of these things on a chart, and avoiding intercourse or using another method to prevent pregnancy within the fertile window, she said.

According to the Mayo Clinic, fertility cycle tracking is among the least effective types of birth control, and that effectiveness varies by couple. It said that as many as 24 out of 100 women who use natural family planning will become pregnant within the first year. A 2021 study of period-tracking apps for fertility planning found that out of 10 apps used, all of them gave conflicting dates of fertility, most of which were incorrect.

“People get pregnant because they didn’t know they had to do all these things to make that effective,” she said.

#us politics #news #nbc news #2023 #republicans #conservatives #social media #social media influencers #twitter #rumble #birth control #birth control bans #Dr. Danielle Jones #Alex Clark #turning point usa #reproductive health #reproductive rights #hormonal birth control #tw suicide #tw suicide mention #Ashley St. Clair #American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists #Evie Magazine #menstrual cycle #menstrual cycle tracking apps #fertility awareness methods #Mayo Clinic #fertility cycle tracking

[genderqueerdykes]

ahhh so i'm intersex. cistrans man thing idk. but i got put on birth control and nobody told me about the "feminising" effects of it. it is worsening my dysphoria so much to think about let alone look at the changes causes by it. i have no clue what to do

hey there, i'm really sorry to hear this. i was placed on hormonal birth control at one point to try to "fix" my intersex condition and it affected me very, very poorly. i didn't tolerate it well at all- i didn't like what it did to my body, or my psychology.

if you still need to be on birth control for functional purposes, you may be able to find something that is not hormonal or has way less feminizing effects. you may also be able to start testosterone for your issues depending on what they are. for preventing pregnancy you still want some type of birth control, so i hope you're able to figure things out. best of luck, i know i hated the effects of birth control when i was on it

#asks #answers #intersex #cistrans #birth control #hormonal birth control

[traumahoney]

i don’t know what happened to me.

#i used to be so kind #and gentle #and soft #just a few years ago #i could blame it on a lot of things #hormonal birth control #trauma #simply getting older #it doesn’t matter though #i’m still different #no matter what caused it #and i am so so sad #i miss who i was #she was so good #fuck

[moodboardsbysarah]

"youre a misogynist if you tell the truth about what hormonal birth control does to womens bodies"

is the original

"youre a right wing fascist if you tell the truth about covid vaccine side effects"

#health #birth control #the pill #misogyny #people are so bloody delusional #hormonal birth control #im so glad i never went on it #tho i did take a lot of plan Bs and it probably damaged my body #cuz now I have pcos #covid19 #covid vaccine

[cakesexuality]

Occasional reminder that I have a tag for talking about my reproductive health called #the estrogen is slapping right now and I take questions about this topic

Suppressing my periods is entirely about pain and isn't about dysphoria, though I am non-binary

We thought it was endometriosis, but I ended up having a laparoscopy that revealed no endo, so we're back to not knowing the cause of my problems

I began the tag when I started on Lupron Depot in September 2022 with Estrace and Movisse/Jencycla as my add-back hormones, but I was previously on Depo-Provera, which we stopped bc it wasn't working and I seemed to be in a withdrawal of some kind only 6-8 weeks after each shot, and I am now on continuous Alysena 21, due to side effects of Lupron that I subjectively didn't like (but someone else may be seeking from such a medication)

I haven't tried anything else to suppress my periods, so I've never had an IUD bc I'm too afraid of it causing damage, I've never tried the patch bc I have garbage skin, the ring isn't covered by my insurance, I went straight to Depo first bc I didn't want to deal with possibly missing my window to take a pill and ending up with bleeding (although I ended up with a lot of bleeding despite the Depo), and Nexplanon has just never been a conversation

Hysterectomy (without oophorectomy) is on the table, so that may happen in my future, just not right now due to both the recovery time and the fact that Alysena is working well so far, but you know I would be writing about it under my reproductive health tag

I've got a really lovely gynecologist (she's the one who proposed hysterectomy to me, a then-26yo with no children) who's following me through all this and I'm seeing her next on February 8th, so I'll ask her then what she now thinks could be putting my hormones out of whack and causing my periods to be so weird and so painful

#trans #transgender #non binary #nonbinary #chronic pain #chronic illness #chronically ill #depo provera #alysena #lupron #birth control #hormonal birth control #the estrogen is slapping right now

[nobleelfwarrior]

Im not giving informed consent on my birth control since none of the side effects were discussed with me so I had to panic google bleeding and you expect me to believe that teenagers are able to give informed consent to cosmetic hormones?

Fuck doctors.

#radfem #medicine #doctors #hormones #hormonal birth control #depo provera #transition

[prouvairetry]

nexplanon/implanon and progesterone only birth control is so dangerous. im in an informal rheumatoid arthritis group and 6/7 of is were on a progesterone only birth control when we got symptoms for the love of everything holy done suggest it. i couldn't WALK for 6 months

I'm so sorry that you're suffering from RA. I want to treat this respectfully and not dismissively, but I don't want to pass along your advice in the same vein as I am discussing available scientific information and BCs I'm willing to personally recommend.

Many studies throughout the years have shown that the hormones estrogen and progesterone interact with rheumatoid arthritis. However, the prevailing idea I can find in the medical community is that progesterone therapy can be used to treat RA. Scientists have been experimenting with this since at least the 1980s and are still conducting studies today that tend to show that progesterone reduces inflammation.

6/7 of your friends is a high proportion and I am surprised and sorry to hear you developed symptoms while on progesterone-based birth control. However, more than half of Americans with uteruses between 15 and 45 are on birth control, and that number is likely far higher in urban areas and on college campuses — about 50 million people in that age group are on birth control in the USA. In the grand scheme of things, your experience is the definition of anecdotal, which is not enough for me to tell my friends and followers that I think my birth control is dangerous.

I did find a WebMD article that cites BC as a potential reason for a rise in RA, but not for the reasons you'd think. Progesterone-only pills lack estrogen, which the Mayo Clinic Doctor in this article says is not as effective in preventing RA than traditional estrogen + progesterone pills are. Meaning the people would have developed RA anyway, and other kinds of BC might have slowed that progression. On the other hand, I found an article on a blog called "Hormones Matter" connecting progesterone and RA, written by someone who is not a doctor and does not appear on the school website of the uni where she claims to teach.

I'm not saying I don't believe there could be a connection, but I just poked around the internet and didn't see anything backed scientifically. I personally still feel comfortable recommending long-term birth control options that I have researched and used. Everyone should do research into BC before getting it, including research connected to risk factors they're especially concerned with.

I assume this isn't the answer you wanted to hear and I'm sorry for that. I am posting this publicly because I want to make sure that people can see that I have done my research but stand by the original Instagram post I reposted here.

Science supports my statement that birth control prevents and reduces risk of pregnancy, which in turn reduces the risk of needing a potentially unsafe or even fatal abortion.

#text #answers #birth control #progesterone #roe v wade #dobbs v. jackson women’s health organization #dobbs #supreme court #bc #hormonal bc #hormonal birth control

[supernutcollectionuniverse]

Why my birth control make my tiddies hurt!?

#owie #hormonal birth control #at least I’m not pregnant lmao

[melisssg99]

All women and girls!

should definitely watch this!

Men too even!

We need to know what is given to us!

Your body, your choice!

But make sure you have ALL INFORMATION

#anti hormonal birth control #birth control #hormones #hormonal imbalance #hormonalhealth #hormonal birth control #hormonalchanges #hormonal acne #homemaking #egalitarian #homemaker #femininity #traditional #feminine #personal #farmcore #cottagecore #this is so important #do your research #there are more options that dont include synthetic hormones #Youtube

[mental-mona]

#depo provera #birth control #contraception #hormonal contraception #hormonal birth control #women's health #womens health #wellness wednesday

[aurawomen]

What are the lifestyle changes to make for hormone imbalance? Remember that hormone imbalances can be complex and might require medical intervention. doctor if you suspect a hormonal issue, especially if lifestyle changes don't bring about improvements or if you experience severe symptoms. They can provide personalized guidance and recommend appropriate treatments. though making certain lifestyle changes can help manage hormone imbalances. Here are some suggestions:

Healthy Diet: Focus on a balanced diet rich in whole foods, fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and healthy fats. Limit processed foods, sugars, and excessive caffeine.

Regular Exercise: Engage in regular physical activity, which can help regulate hormones and improve overall health. Aim for a mix of cardiovascular exercises, strength training, and flexibility exercises.

Stress Management: Chronic stress can impact hormone balance. Incorporate stress-reduction techniques like yoga, meditation, deep breathing, or spending time in nature.

Adequate Sleep: Prioritize consistent and sufficient sleep. Aim for 7-9 hours of quality sleep each night to support hormone regulation.

Weight Management: Maintaining a healthy weight is important for hormonal health. Aim for gradual weight loss if needed, as rapid changes can disrupt hormone balance.

Hydration: Drink enough water throughout the day to support overall bodily functions, including hormone regulation.

Limit Alcohol and Smoking: Excessive alcohol consumption and smoking can disrupt hormone balance. Minimize or avoid these habits.

Limit Caffeine: While moderate caffeine intake is generally fine, excessive consumption can disrupt hormonal balance. Be mindful of your caffeine intake.

Reduce Environmental Toxins: Limit exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals found in plastics, pesticides, and certain cosmetics. Choose natural and organic products when possible.

Regular Medical Check-ups: Regularly visit a healthcare provider to monitor your hormonal health. They can offer guidance based on your specific needs.

Herbal Supplements: Some herbal supplements like chasteberry (Vitex) or evening primrose oil are believed to help balance hormones. Consult a healthcare professional before using these supplements.

Hormone-Friendly Foods: Incorporate foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids (salmon, flaxseeds), fiber (whole grains, legumes), and antioxidants (berries, leafy greens).

#aurawomen #aura #ivf #fertility #infertility #pregnancy #iui #menstrual health #hormones #hormonal balance #hormonalchanges #hormonal health #hormonal birth control

[mcatmemoranda]

I asked my OB attending about birth control. She said she likes to start pts on Junel. It has a 20 mcg version and a 30 mcg version. If pt is bleeding a lot on the 20 mcg, you can change to 30 mcg. She likes to use Yaz or Yasmin for pts with migraines. I'm pretty sure she said one of them is better for menstrual migraines because it has more estrogen at a certain point in the cycle, which helps prevent migraines. She also uses minnete (millinette?). Sprintec, ortho tri-cyclen.

#hormonal birth control #birth control

[fertilityfriday]

FFP 477 | Why Are So Many Women Dissatisfied With The Pill? | FAMM Research Series | Lisa | Fertility Friday

  Why do 50% of women stop taking the pill the first year they use it? Why are so many women dissatisfied with hormonal contraceptives (HCs)? Join me in today’s brand new FAMM Research Series episode to discover the most common reasons women come off HCs! Today’s episode is sponsored by the Fertility Awareness Mastery Mentorship program!  Use this link to join the waiting list!  Today’s episode…

View On WordPress

#birth control pill #Fertility Friday Podcast #hormonal birth control #hormonal contraceptives #the pill

[mumble-pie]

I just removed my IUD in the bathroom.

#iud #mirena #hormonal birth control #depression

[suchananewsblog]

Now Trending on Social Media: Bad Birth Control Info

Feb.2, 2023 – Add this to the list of social media’s potential health risks: unintended pregnancy. That’s for women who take birth control advice from influencers, particularly on YouTube, where many talk about stopping hormonal contraception and may give incomplete or inaccurate sexual health information.  In an analysis of 50 YouTube videos, University of Delaware researchers found that nearly…

View On WordPress

#birth control #birth control pills #hormonal birth control #Social Media #social media influencers #YouTube

[cakesexuality]

Hey, since I don't believe I've ever made a post about this that actually uses tags for the sake of discoverability --

My name is Billie and I'm on Lupron!! I also used to be on Depo!!

Since 2017, I've been experiencing chronic pain of my uterus and ovaries, which so far does not have a confirmed cause, but my gynecologist and I think it's likely endometriosis

I started Depo-Provera (injectable progesterone) in 2019 then discontinued it in 2022 when I started Lupron Depot (hormone suppression), and my add-back therapy for Lupron is a combination of Jencycla (a form of oral progesterone) and Estrace (a form of oral estrogen)

My gynecologist and I are currently in the process of finding out if I can have a laparoscopy to confirm whether I have endo and to remove it if it's there, we're both on board to do it but I've gotta talk to the anesthesiologist first to find out if it would be safe in combination with issues I have with my joints and my heart

Ever since I went on Lupron, I've been posting here on Tumblr about my gynecological issues as well as some of my other health issues when they seem to be in connection with my gynecological problems, using the organizational tag of #the estrogen is slapping right now which I have popped into the tags of this post for easy finding -- I suggest checking out this tag directly on my blog, since I also use it for reblogs and not just original posts

Suppressing my periods isn't for dysphoria reasons for me, I only do it to deal with my organs being diseased, but I'm using trans tags here bc some of this info could potentially be useful for those of you who are medically transitioning or wish to do so, in addition to possibly being helpful for people like me who are using these medications to treat conditions like endo

I'm open to questions about this stuff, so if there's something you're wondering that you can't find in my special tag or that I haven't written about, ask me!! I don't always have answers and also my body is really weird so I can't be a very good standard for expectations, but I'd like to help you as much as I can

#endometriosis #adenomyosis #chronic pain #chronic illness #trans #transgender #transmasc #trans man #nonbinary #non binary #lupron #depo provera #depo shot #hormonal birth control #chronically ill #spoonie #disability #disabled #the estrogen is slapping right now