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Anticonceptie: alles wat jij erover moet weten

Contraception: everything you need to know about it

by Viv Support in Blog

Vivian… " Should I go on the pill or not, or which contraception do you recommend? Or I would like to stop taking the pill, but I am afraid of all the symptoms coming back." Well, these are just a few examples of the questions and reactions we received following our newsletter about the pill. For that reason, we would like to provide you with some more information.

Women who have been following me for a while know that I am not much of a fan of the pill myself. In this article, I will briefly explain why. And afterwards, we will delve deeper into other forms of contraception methods and coming off the pill.

We list the pros and cons of all methods of contraception.

I sincerely hope this helps you determine what suits you best. Because ultimately, that is the most important thing: listening to your body. We are all different, and it is about choosing a method that suits you and does justice to your body and your hormonal balance.

The pill as contraception

First of all, of course, there is the pill. Simply put, the pill prevents your egg from being released and makes it more difficult for sperm to pass through your cervix. You still have your period as usual every month. You take the pill for three weeks, and your period occurs during the break week. If you are considering taking the pill, you can work with your GP to determine which pill suits you best. But what are the pros and cons of the pill?

Benefits of the pill

- The main advantage is convenience: you take a pill every day and the chance of getting pregnant is really very small (out of a thousand women, fewer than five per year get pregnant despite taking the pill).
- You can play around a bit with the week in which you get your period. For example, if you have a long-distance trip planned, you can choose to take the pill continuously.

Disadvantages of the pill

Over the years, some disadvantages of the pill have also surfaced.
The main side effects of the pill are really severe; many women struggle with headaches, low libido, depressive feelings, weight gain, flat emotions, and/or no longer feeling truly vital and happy.
- Because the pill negatively affects your thyroid, it is, among other things, more difficult to lose weight.
 In addition, the pill can also cause quite a few deficiencies. Think of deficiencies in B vitamins, including folic acid and B12, vitamin E, magnesium, selenium, and zinc. And these are precisely so important for your immune system, the functioning of your hormones, and your (mental) vitality.
- The liver also has a hard time processing the pill for years. The liver has to detoxify very hard when you take the pill. And the liver plays a major role in how good you feel!
Moreover – and I consider this a really important point – your cycle is maintained artificially with synthetic hormones. You no longer have your own natural cycle with ovulation. You also effectively no longer have a period, but only a withdrawal bleeding. As a result, you no longer know where you stand hormonally. That has become an artificial process. I consider that perhaps the most significant disadvantage of the pill.

Abuse of the pill

Incidentally, the pill is often 'misused'. Women frequently turn to their GP with questions such as: “I suffer from mood swings, I feel so depressed before my period, I have heavy or painful periods, swollen breasts and food cravings, or I just feel like my hormones are out of balance, which makes me feel uncomfortable in my own skin. What can I do?”
Now I know that GPs will often recommend the pill in that case.
And yes, these hormonal complaints often disappear. Because instead of hormonal complaints, those annoying pill side effects I mentioned above can occur.

Know that lifestyle adjustments can help you here if you prefer not to take the pill (anymore) to tackle hormonal issues around your cycle. Especially after reading all the downsides, I can imagine you are having doubts.

Pill reduction program

And that is why I have developed a very short program called "Healthy Pill Reduction"

With my short ' Healthy Coming Off the Pill' program, I am going to help you with "my pill detox" method. To help you get back into your normal rhythm after stopping the pill, and to relieve you of those annoying symptoms. So that your cycle fully recovers, and you do too. And don't worry, it is not a complicated program that takes up a lot of your time. In 1.5 hours, you will know exactly what to do.

If you stop using the pill after months or years, your body needs time to get this going again on its own. And this recovery period can sometimes be quite tough if you don't know what to do about it. This phase is called 'coming off the pill,' and for many women, it causes unpleasant symptoms such as these:

✔️ You get acne again, your skin becomes irritated again
✔️Your period is delayed or very irregular
✔️You will experience hair loss
✔️Your mood doesn't improve either, the well-known mood swings
✔️Or you suddenly get a very heavy period
✔️You feel more tired than normal

Do you recognize this? It can be different with my stopping the pill method. Then this short program is for you. You can read all about it here .

Other forms of contraception

Besides the pill, there are many other forms of contraception. Below, I share all the pros and cons of these forms of contraception so that you can make the best choice for you!

Hormonal IUD as a method of contraception

A hormonal IUD looks like a small anchor; it is made of plastic and is inserted into your uterus by a doctor. Mirena is the best-known hormonal IUD. The IUD releases a small amount of the hormone progestogen every day. The chance of becoming pregnant is about the same as with the pill. So, not high.

Benefits of the hormonal IUD

- You won't have to think about anything for five or six years.
- Far fewer hormones enter your bloodstream than with the pill.
- You lose less blood during your period, and it is even possible that you will stop having periods altogether.
If you have the IUD removed, you will be back in your own monthly hormonal rhythm quite quickly.

Disadvantages of the hormonal IUD

-The IUD slightly increases the stress hormone cortisol. Some women notice this, feel agitated as a result, or experience a feeling of brain fog.
- Sometimes you lose blood at unexpected moments.
- You cannot postpone your period, like you can with the pill.
- Thuisarts.nl also mentions some side effects, such as headache, pimples, hair loss, mild depression, and increased vaginal discharge.

Copper IUD as contraception

This is the IUD that I use myself and am fully satisfied with. This one also looks like a small anchor and is likewise made of plastic. However, here there is a thin copper wire wrapped around the IUD. A copper IUD is inserted by the GP. A copper IUD does not release hormones. The chance of getting pregnant is about the same as with the pill. So, not high.

Advantages of the copper IUD

- You won't have to think about anything for five to ten years.
- It is – together with a condom – the safest option for your hormone balance. You simply maintain your normal, monthly hormonal cycle. I think that is a really big advantage. Above, regarding the pill, I explained why I am not a fan of artificially maintaining the hormonal cycle.

Disadvantages of the copper IUD

Personally, I haven't had any problems (yet), but it is possible that after the insertion of the copper IUD, your period lasts longer and you experience more blood loss and pain.
And many women do experience heavier bleeding. So if you are sensitive to that, I would not recommend the copper IUD.

Daysy as contraception

Although I have a copper IUD myself, I am also a big fan of the Daysy. With it, you can very simply and accurately distinguish between your fertile and infertile days within your natural menstrual cycle. You measure your body temperature daily, and in combination with information about your menstrual days, Daysy immediately shows you whether you are having a fertile or infertile day. Daysy is 99.4% accurate in distinguishing between fertile and infertile days.

Benefits of Daysy

Just like with a copper IUD, with the Daysy you retain your own hormonal cycle; you do not suppress your ovulation or menstruation and maintain your own hormonal cycle.

Disadvantages of Daysy

You do have to measure your body temperature daily. Just like the pill, that requires a bit of discipline.
I find this to be too sensitive a method for young people. I would not recommend this for teenagers because it is sometimes difficult to be consistent with it during puberty.

Your choice for contraception

I hope you find this overview helpful and that you can make a good choice that suits you. And by now, you also know why I don't see the pill as *the* solution for contraception. Now, I'm not vehemently against the pill, mind you, and perhaps you are one of the women who says: “I actually feel great because of the pill.” And that is of course wonderful, but many women struggle with the downsides of the pill. But as I said, the pill is also often prescribed by GPs to reduce (pre)menstrual symptoms. And in that case, I really do NOT consider the pill the solution. Because did you know that PMS symptoms can be reversed? I can help you get your hormones back on track in no time after stopping the pill.

Have you been thinking for months about working on your hormones, or do you want to stop taking the pill?

Then join this new program ' Healthy Pill Reduction, How Do You Do That? '

To help you get back into your normal rhythm after stopping the pill. And relieve you of those annoying symptoms.

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