Birth control pills are complicated little things. Not only are there plenty of misconceptions surrounding them, there’s a certain level of taboo attached to them — especially in our Asian society.
Here, we list some of the facts about the birth control pill that people might not be as willing to share with you.
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While it doesn’t happen to everyone, birth control pills can actually be the reason you’re experiencing vaginal dryness.
The role of birth control pills is to keep hormone levels in the body at a steady stream and rate. When your hormones are released at a steady stream, you’re less likely to have an influx of vaginal fluid as they’re no longer fluctuating.
If you’re concerned about vaginal dryness affecting your sex life, it’s good to check with your doctor and see if you can swap to a different sort of birth control method.
Without birth control, your vaginal releases discharge of varying amounts and with with different textures and colour depending on your menstrual cycle.
However, when you’re on the pill, you’ll find that your discharge is pretty uniform in terms of texture and colour and you might even experience more even more discharge.
Usually, extra discharge is nothing to be too concerned about but if you’re worried, check with a doctor for a second opinion.
Depending on your body, you might experience stickier discharge than usual. Instead of the clear and thin discharge you get when you’re ovulating, you’ll experience stickier and whiter looking discharge. This is because the pill tricks your body into think it’s “pregnant”.
This is completely normal seeing that the vaginal secretions thicken to prevent unwanted pregnancy and prevent sperm from swimming up easily.
According to research done by Dr. Sara Gottfried, the pill can steadily shrink the size of a woman’s clitoris by up to 20 per cent.
This is because the pill reduces the amount of testosterone in the body. Testosterone is the hormone that’s responsible for the size of your clit.
In turn, you might experience less physical pleasure but don’t fret! Switch to alternative forms of birth control if you’re affected.
Problems can include hormonal imbalances, polycystic ovary syndrome and so much more.
So, make it a point to check on your health status every few months to make sure your body is in tip top condition.
But don’t worry, it’s normal. If you’re first starting out, make sure to use a backup method of birth control for the first seven days.
If you’re on a progestogen-only pill, take it the moment you remember and take the next pill at your regular time. Make it a point to use back up contraceptive methods too.
If you’re on a combination pill, you have a three hour window to take your pills. That being said, if you’re supposed to take your pill, at 9am but only remembered to do so at 12pm, your pill’s efficacy isn’t compromised.
Not everyone will ask you about it but you need to be prepared for when someone does — especially when you’re married.
However, it’s always best to check with your doctor first.
Skipping your period with birth control pills is completely safe and sometimes, it can be helpful, especially when you’re planning on going on a beach vacation.
An easy method of skipping your period is to move on to the next pill pack instead of resting for seven days. This way, your body will continue to get a constant stream of hormones and breakthrough bleeding won’t happen.
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- birth control
- family
- relationships
- sex