Do you really know how your contraception works?
Dr Bella Smith
Women’s Health Specialist. NHS GP Partner. Co-Founder of The Well HQ. Co-author of The Female Body Bible
In my job as an NHS GP, I talk to women about contraception every day. I am noticing more and more that women want to understand exactly how their contraception works so that they can make an informed decision about what is right for them. I think this is fantastic. Contraception choices are very personal and every form of contraception (whether it be hormonal, barrier or natural) affects women very differently with different risk profiles, different pregnancy risks and different side effects.
It is very important for women to have all the facts and information at their fingertips in order to make an informed decision. They also need close follow up to allow them to change their choices depending on their experiences. Women’s choices of contraception will change over their different life stages and what they choose in their 20s will be different to 30s, 40s and 50s!
?One common misconception that I see with the contraceptive pill is that women often don’t realise that the bleed they get on the pill is not a 'real' period but is in fact a ‘withdrawal bleed’ induced by synthetic hormones. This means that for active women on the pill, they can’t rely on their bleed as a ‘sign of health’ and the pill could mask REDs (relative energy deficiency in sport), when periods can stop due to reduced energy availability. In this case the individual needs to be vigilant to make sure that they are fuelling well enough to match their energy expenditure. What is most important is that it is explained that it is a withdrawal bleed, and not a real period.
领英推荐
A great resource for women that I often recommend is The Lowdown . This is a research platform that provides credible scientific information and other women’s experiences of contraception.
#contraception #reds #nhsgp #womenshealth
Co-Founder at PEBE. On a mission to support women to train at their best.
8 个月Immediately sharing this with all my friends...!
CEO & Women’s Health & Rehabilitation Specialist, Non Profit Community Health
8 个月I think it’s really important for teenagers to understand too as so many end up taking oral contraceptives as a way to manage periods. I know in some cases this is the best option but do they fully understand what’s happening / how it works etc. I was on the pill at 16 and had absolutely no idea how it worked / how it affected my body.