Why women are turning against the contraceptive pill and toward fertility trackers

When first introduced successful nan 1960s, nan pill was revolutionary for women’s reproductive autonomy and empowerment. In caller years, however, it’s go a root of distrust, arsenic women study emotion much burdened than liberated by nan imaginable risks. 

“Reasons To Go Off The Pill” sounds nan title of 1 video connected TikTok, which has 18,000 views and lists 1 woman’s antagonistic experiences, including nonaccomplishment of activity drive. Another shows earlier and aft pictures of a young woman, captioned: “ur [sic] motion not to commencement nan pill unless you wanna summation 2 stone”. 

Such videos item a broader taste displacement that’s some understandable and troubling. As frustrations complete inadequate female healthcare lead women to activity solutions online, it’s besides making them much susceptible to misinformation. 

“Younger women are much wary of medicine successful general, and societal media amplifies stories astir broadside effects specified arsenic weight gain, temper changes, aliases uncommon but superior risks for illustration humor clots,” Ying Cheong, professor of reproductive medicine astatine nan University of Southampton successful nan United Kingdom, told Euronews Health. 

So, what are nan facts? Is nan pill really dangerous? And what are nan risks of utilizing earthy alternatives for contraception? Euronews Health said to immoderate experts to find out. 

What are nan different types of contraceptive pills?

Approximately 1 successful 5 women usage oral contraceptives successful Europe, according to Statistica, pinch 2 main types available: nan mixed pill (often referred to arsenic ‘the pill’) and nan progestogen-only pill (also known arsenic nan ‘mini pill’). 

The mixed pill contains some oestrogen and progestogen, and useful by stopping nan ovaries from releasing an ovum each month. Modern versions of this incorporate overmuch little oestrogen doses than nan early 1960s versions, said Cheong, which reduces their consequence of causing humor clots. 

The progestogen-only pill has a akin mechanism, but is often fixed to women whocannot return oestrogen. 

Both are complete 99 per cent effective, according to nan UK’s National Health Service (NHS), but only if taken correctly astatine nan aforesaid clip each day. They tin besides thief pinch dense periods and endometriosis, though nan mixed pill is much effective astatine improving acne and premenstrual syndrome (PMS) symptoms. 

What broadside effects tin they cause?

Both types of pill travel pinch nan consequence of broadside effects. In nan mixed pill, these tin beryllium nausea, tummy aches, headaches, sore breasts, and irregular bleeding - which affects astir 1 successful 5 users, according to nan UK’s National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE). 

There is nary grounds that taking nan mixed pill makes you put connected weight aliases changes your activity drive, nan NHS states. 

Cheong besides noted that location tin beryllium immoderate rare, but much superior imaginable risks. These see humor clots, bosom and circulation problems, and definite cancers. 

“There is simply a mini summation successful bosom and cervical crab consequence while taking nan [combined] pill,” Cheong explained, referencing NICE data. 

“The bosom crab consequence disappears wrong 10 years of stopping, and nan cervical consequence besides falls backmost to normal. On nan different hand, nan pill lowers nan consequence of ovarian, womb, and bowel cancers, and that protective effect tin past for years aft stopping”.

Why are women turning against nan pill?

The advent of societal media and wellness influencers has seen a surge successful health-related contented - particularly connected underresearched subjects, specified arsenic endometriosis and menopause.

“Women’s wellness is chronically underfunded. When infirmary budgets are cut, gynaecology is usually first successful line, leaving women pinch unacceptably agelong waits,” said Cheong. 

“Research has besides lagged behind; contempt caller strategies and achromatic papers, existent finance and action are still acold excessively slow”. 

This, on pinch social media misinformation, has led to a emergence successful nan usage of period-tracking apps, which thief place nan points successful a rhythm astatine which women are astir fertile. 

“We’ve seen a crisp emergence successful nan usage of fertility awareness-based methods, particularly among Gen Z, wherever uptake accrued by 12.4 per cent betwixt 2022–2024,” Dr Helen O’Neill, laminitis of Hertility Health, a hormone and fertility testing kit for women, told Euronews Health. 

“The entreaty is clear, these methods are hormone-free and debar broadside effects. But there’s a important caveat: while hormonal methods are 91–99 per cent effective, earthy methods tin transportation up to a 24 per cent chance of pregnancy, peculiarly if not followed rigorously,” she added. 

Earlier this year, a study recovered that a increasing number of abortion patients had utilized period-tracking methods. While a useful replacement for women looking to debar hormones and amended understand their cycles, prediction-based algorithms are yet little reliable arsenic contraception, Cheong explained.  

“The pill has risks, but they are mini compared pinch nan wellness and societal risks of unintended pregnancy,” said Cheong. 

“It remains 1 of nan safest, astir effective, and empowering options we have. What’s needed is not rejection, but much research, much investment, and much choice, including for men. 

Today, we whitethorn beryllium seeing women situation nan pill, not because it is ineffective, but because, contempt its debased consequence and precocious effectiveness, it nary longer feels acceptable without amended alternatives,” she added.