If it isn’t broken, don’t fix it, right? I’ve been taking my birth control pill for the past few years, and it has done wonders for me. Not only has it prevented pregnancy, but my periods have become regular, nearly painless and lighter. Anyone who has ever had period cramps knows they’re the worst, yet they’re often unavoidable. Also, periods tend to not be regular when a girl begins menstruating, so that monthly arrival isn’t always predictable.
Thankfully, being on birth control has made period discomfort a thing of the past for me and many other girls as well. It’s wonderful that we have this health care option available to us.
Yet, with all of these conveniences comes a cost. I'm beginning to wonder if long-term dependence is setting me up for failure. While having an easy period and a slim chance of pregnancy is wonderful now, I can't help but feel concern over the following realities.
1. My body is filled with hormones.
Now, don't get me wrong. Hormones can benefit people greatly, and when it comes to reproductive health, they can contribute to an easier menstrual cycle. Some women take the pill purely to calm down their periods — anyone who has ever had period cramps or heavy bleeding understands. But should I be relying on hormones to handle my period? I am artificially manipulating how my body wants to function. It may not be the most efficient for me, but there's a reason that my uterus naturally wants to shed ridiculous amounts of blood. And I am interfering with that, for the sake of an easier period. This leads me to my next concern...
2. What will happen when I go off the pill?
Whether I'm actively trying to have kids or I'm approaching menopause, one day I'll stop taking the pill. But when women do so after years or even decades on it, they report having a tremendous time adjusting to life with no hormones. Their body typically reacts negatively, as it suddenly has to function naturally. Common aftermaths include having a painful period, feeling nauseous and being easily irritated. This all takes several months to get used to. The longer I'm on the pill, the worse the effects will be, possibly. Should I stop while I'm ahead? Thirdly...
3. At this rate, my period will be just spotting or altogether non-existent.
Sounds like a dream, right? Rarely having to buy sanitary products and not having to worry about blood leaking on your pants. And this very well will become a reality for me in the future.
In the few years I've been on the pill, my cycle has gone from seven days to four. Give it another couple of years, and it'll be down to two days. By the time I reach my late 20s, I could be only experiencing spotting. How do I know if I have accidentally gotten pregnant? I could go several months being pregnant and not even know because I don't get my period anymore. My morning sickness may be minimal — some women even go all nine months not knowing they're carrying a baby (rare, but possible).
All that time, I could be consuming alcohol, which would have negative impacts on the baby's health. Or, I could realize I'm so far along that I have to carry the baby to term, even if I don't want to give birth. How could I go the next 25 or so years never really knowing if I'm pregnant or not? Taking pregnancy tests every month is not reasonable, but trusting that I'm not pregnant just because I take the pill doesn't seem wise either...
These are just my concerns as a 20-year-old who's got about 30 years or so of fertility left. Some of those years, I may choose to be pregnant, but overall the goal is to not constantly be having kids. Having an easy period is just a bonus to this all.
It seems the potential harm I may do to myself is worth it because it's not necessary to put oneself through intense periods if it's not required. All birth control forms have risks. But being on hormonal birth control for years seems like a risk itself. Then again, I love having a simple period, and non-hormonal birth control really wouldn't provide that.
My inclination tells me to just keep taking the pill and not worry about what will happen 30 years down the line. Who knows, maybe I'll get a tubal ligation in 10 years because I'll be done having kids. Or maybe I'll make the switch to just condoms and deal with the period cramps (which could be like training for giving birth, in all honesty).
The good news is that long-term use of birth control does not impact fertility, so I wouldn't have to worry about my ovulation being permanently disrupted. The struggle of being constantly aware of your own reproductive health can be occasionally frustrating, especially compared to how men just have to use a condom (if that).
Women's ability to prevent pregnancy has come a long way–we don't have to rely on animal intestines for condoms, and if we never want to have kids, we can get a surgery for that. I'm grateful to live in a time where women have options. At least for now, I'm sticking with the pill.
