3 things every woman should know about birth control
To help us prepare for the safe, sexy summer (and beyond), Dr. Natashia Grell, a Toronto-based physician and contraception expert, has offered to share some important birth control tips that every woman should follow.
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1. Know your options
Think taking the birth control
pill is your only option? Think again. As Dr. Grell explains, "There are many birth control options out there for women, like recently approved Jaydess, a new, long-term, reversible contraceptive option that offers a more convenient alternative to commonly used daily options like the birth control pill."
"Make sure to choose the one that is right for your lifestyle. If forgetting your pill is a problem for you, a long acting form of contraception like the intrauterine system or IUS could be a good option. This is also a great option if you are worried about or want to stay away from estrogen," she explains.
Think taking the birth control
"Make sure to choose the one that is right for your lifestyle. If forgetting your pill is a problem for you, a long acting form of contraception like the intrauterine system or IUS could be a good option. This is also a great option if you are worried about or want to stay away from estrogen," she explains.
2. Look for the best fit for you
Anyone who has spent more than 5 seconds researching birth control knows that there are a lot of options - perhaps too many, to the point where it can be pretty confusing. That’s why Dr. Grell suggests discussing all your options with your healthcare provider. We’ve all encountered that person who just can’t stop talking about how much they love the birth control option they’ve chosen, however keep in mind that what works for your best friend, sister or over-sharing co-worker, might not be the right option for you.
“Every woman is different so make sure to do your own research to find out what works best for you,” Grell says
Anyone who has spent more than 5 seconds researching birth control knows that there are a lot of options - perhaps too many, to the point where it can be pretty confusing. That’s why Dr. Grell suggests discussing all your options with your healthcare provider. We’ve all encountered that person who just can’t stop talking about how much they love the birth control option they’ve chosen, however keep in mind that what works for your best friend, sister or over-sharing co-worker, might not be the right option for you.
“Every woman is different so make sure to do your own research to find out what works best for you,” Grell says
3. Will your birth control affect your fertility?
As Dr. Grell explains, the main challenge Canadian women face when it comes to their birth control is related to the fact that women are delaying starting their families to their mid to late 30's. “This has posed a new health concern related to being on birth control for an extra 10-15 years. Women are also worried about their fertility and the long-term effects of hormone (estrogen) on their bodies,” she says.
As Grell suggests, “If you want to put off having children for a few more years, choose an option that allows you the time to achieve your goals without the fear of an unintended pregnancy. Once you decide it is time to start a family, an option like the IUS allows you to return to your normal rate of fertility once you stop using it.
As Dr. Grell explains, the main challenge Canadian women face when it comes to their birth control is related to the fact that women are delaying starting their families to their mid to late 30's. “This has posed a new health concern related to being on birth control for an extra 10-15 years. Women are also worried about their fertility and the long-term effects of hormone (estrogen) on their bodies,” she says.
As Grell suggests, “If you want to put off having children for a few more years, choose an option that allows you the time to achieve your goals without the fear of an unintended pregnancy. Once you decide it is time to start a family, an option like the IUS allows you to return to your normal rate of fertility once you stop using it.
Recent use of high-dose estrogen birth control pills could significantly increase a young woman’s risk of developing breast cancer, a new American study has found.
The researchers at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle, Wash., found recent oral contraceptive use increased breast cancer risk by 50%.
“Our results suggest that use of contemporary oral contraceptives in the past year is associated with an increased breast cancer risk relative to never or former oral contraceptive use, and that this risk may vary by oral contraceptive formulation,” researcher Elisabeth Beaber said in a press release.
She warned the results need to be confirmed with more research and the study “should be interpreted cautiously.”
Birth control pills containing high-dose estrogen increased breast cancer risk 2.7-fold, and those containing moderate-dose estrogen increased the risk 1.6-fold, the study found. Birth control pills containing low-dose estrogen didn’t increase the risk of breast cancer.
The study was published in the journal Cancer Research
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