How the contraceptive pill affected my fertility journey…
For decades (and to this day), birth control pills have been seen as great for stopping pregnancies but also often referred as a “solution” to help with heavy or painful periods or to regulate cycle.
However, recent research show they might have consequences for fertility further down the line. Let's look at how taking the pill might make it harder to get pregnant.
In this blog, I’ll share my view and experience on how the pill can affect fertility.
My experience:
I was suffering painful period from about 15 years old and at 16, without doing any tests or further investigations, my mum was highly advised by the GP to prescribe me the contraceptive pill as the best way to “cure” me. So of course, that worked and the pain was gone plus the cycle was regular. I used it for over 10 years, completely unaware of all the risks and once I stopped it to try to conceive, the symptoms I once had came back 3 times or more stronger.
I found out that I had Adenomyosis which was the cause of my symptoms and which is a condition that can highly impact fertility. Had I known that 10 years earlier, I could have perhaps dealt with it a different way and at early stage. It took me years, with naturopathy and acupuncture, to lessen the symptoms.
Understanding Birth Contraceptive Pills:
Birth Contraceptive Pills work by altering hormone levels in the body to prevent ovulation, thereby inhibiting pregnancy. While these methods are highly effective at preventing conception, they also introduce synthetic hormones into the body, and consequently creating a “fake period”.
The bleeding that occurs during the pill-free interval is not a true menstrual period, but rather a withdrawal bleed triggered by the sudden drop in hormone levels when you stop taking active pills. This bleeding mimics a period, but it is not the result of the natural menstrual cycle.
The pill will mask health conditions:
Our body is our friend and it tells us when something is not right. Our job is to listen to the symptoms in order to find & heal the root of the issue we may have.
However, taking hormonal birth control like the pill will NOT show you if your “real period” is heavy, painful or irregular. We have no way to figure out what is going right or wrong.
The pill will mask any underlying conditions you may have such as PCOS, Adenomyosis, Endometriosis or sometimes even Thyroid diseases.
So in another word, you will not suspect any potential fertility threatening condition until you stop taking the pill.
Impact on Ovarian Function:
Hormonal contraceptives have been shown to affect ovarian function, potentially reducing the number of viable eggs and diminishing ovarian reserve over time. This can prolong the time it takes to conceive once contraception is stopped and may increase the risk of age-related fertility decline.
The pill can also cause the shrinkage of the ovaries by up to 52%.
Impact on Hormones :
The contraceptive pill works by delivering synthetic hormones (usually estrogen and progestin) to the body. These hormones mimic the natural hormones produced by the ovaries, thereby signaling to the body that ovulation has already occurred. As a result, the body's natural hormone production, particularly the release of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH), is suppressed.
Additional to that, the contraceptive pill is known to:
Lower Testosterone and create imbalance between testosterone level and SHBG (Sex Hormone Binding Globulin) which raises when taking the pill. This can cause lower libido , lower energy, lower mental clarity etc. It is often reported (and I have experienced it) that the SHBG doesn’t decrease after coming off the pill.
Lower Thyroid Hormones (Free T4)
Reduce Serotonin and Melatonin
Disrupt the cycle by maintaining high levels of synthetic estrogen (and sometimes progestin) in the body throughout the pill cycle (that’s not for the progesterone only pills)
I think it is important to recognize that transitioning off the contraceptive pill can affect the body's hormonal balance and menstrual cycle. After discontinuing the pill, it takes time for the body to adjust and return to its natural rhythm. For some individuals, this adjustment period may be relatively smooth, with their menstrual cycles returning to normal within a few months. However, for others, coming off the pill can create hormonal fluctuations and disruptions that may take longer to resolve.
One potential risk is that discontinuing the pill can disrupt the body's hormonal balance, leading to irregular menstrual cycles, unpredictable periods, and hormonal imbalances. This disruption can sometimes create havoc with hormone levels, causing symptoms such as acne, mood swings, and changes in libido. Additionally, some women may experience difficulty conceiving or regulating their fertility after discontinuing the pill, as it may take time for ovulation to resume and for the body to establish a regular menstrual cycle. It took me years!
Conclusion:
To this day, we get so easily given the contraceptive pill without being fully made aware of all the risks that intakes - I was again recently advised to take it to regulate my cycle without being asked if I wanted to conceive again - and I really believe a lot of consideration should be taken before making this decision. To me it is a big no no, and I wanted to share my experience on this. Do your own research, don’t just take the GP’s opinion.
I only covered the fertility risks of taking the pill but there are many others including depression, anxiety and cancer which I won’t go in today.