Insight of an OBGYN after 20 years of practice: 12-part series (part 1:Birth control)

BIrth Control Knowledge

These are the top 5 reasons why women seek OB/GYN care from my experience:

1) pregnancy 2) vaginal bleeding 3) vaginal discharge/infections/STDs 4) pelvic pain and 5) wellness exams with birth control

I want to discuss briefly issues that I've seen as it relates to birth control.  Whether someone desires birth control pills, the nuvaring, nexplanon, depo provera, or a hormonal IUD, the concept is the same for all of them.  These are all hormonal methods of birth control and one important point needs to be made. IT TAKES TIME. The body needs time to adjust and it can take up to 6 months. So expect to have irregular spotting, and occasionally, pelvic pain, breast tenderness, nausea, and mood changes. Once your body is adjusted, these issues subside. More importantly, birth control also gets a bad rap and most women think that it causes cancer. Although there is a slight increased risk of breast-related issues, including breast cancer, birth control is protective against ovarian cancer, and uterine cancer if taken consistently and for extended periods. So now you know, it is not always smooth sailing when initiating birth control but eventually, things do improve. If after 6 months symptoms persist, then you want to consult with your gynecologist about changing options. 

Author

Anita Fulton