Someone asked us: I keep hearing on TikTok that hormonal birth control has a bunch of bad side effects and is really bad for you. Is that true? Is it better to use non-hormonal methods?
There's been a LOT of talk about hormonal birth control online lately, so it's normal to have questions. Here’s the deal:
Hormonal birth control has been around for more than 60 years, and millions of people have used it safely. It's also more effective at preventing pregnancy than almost all non-hormonal methods.
Hormonal birth control methods — like the pill, ring, patch, shot, IUD, and implant — either have the hormones estrogen and progestin, or just progestin. These hormones are similar to the hormones that everyone’s body makes naturally.
Like all medicines, birth control can have side effects, which usually go away within a few months once your hormones balance out. Lots of people use birth control with no problems at all. The chance of having serious problems from the hormones in birth control is really, really low. And hormonal birth control doesn't impact your future fertility either — it’s actually possible to get pregnant very soon after going off birth control.
Hormonal birth control is totally safe for most people. But at the end of the day, you know your body best. Everyone's different, so everyone's body reacts to all medicine differently. If you’re using hormonal birth control and you don't like the way you're feeling or you’re worried about side effects, talk with your nurse or doctor. They may recommend a different brand or method of birth control. They can also let you know if there's any reason you shouldn't use hormonal birth control based on your medical history.
And if you don't want to use hormonal birth control, that's OK — there are plenty of non-hormonal methods you can try.
Read more here.
— Kendall at Planned Parenthood
*Note: Planned Parenthood is not responsible for nor does it endorse any legal, medical, or other advice or information provided by any of the entities identified or referenced herein or by any other third parties, whether referenced herein or not.
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