A woman should have the choice to make her life choices and luckily for us contraceptive options have never been more plentiful. But while we’ve heard a lot about the positives of birth control we rarely do we talk about why it may pose potential problems, medical or otherwise. So we decided to feed our curiosity and asked experts (who by the way are advocates of birth control) to give us all the details and not just a skewed opinion. Knowledge is power, after all.
Know your options
There are many birth control options such as condoms that are called “barriers”, which protect us against STDs and HIV. Contraceptive tablets are also a popular method which need to be consumed on a daily basis and can be taken for a few months at a stretch.
“There are vaginal rings, skin patches, female condoms and devices that have to be inserted into the uterus along with other permanent methods like sterilisation,” explains Dr Sonal Kumta, Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Fortis Hospital, Mulund, Mumbai.
All the birth control methods are prescribed only after carefully taking into consideration the patient’s age, marital status and medical history.
Real Talk
Contraceptives are one of the most preferred ways of birth control but these too should always be taken under guidance. Some pros of being on birth control are: reduced bleeding and cramping during periods, which lowers the risk of anaemia and pelvic inflammatory diseases. Some contraceptive pills also help reduce acne and ovarian cysts.
But, pills can also come with side-effects. Dr Deepali Rothe, gynaecologist, Fortis Hospital, Kalyan, Mumbai, says, “Most methods are safe. But contraindications are in every method. There are risks involved if the person is a smoker, obese, above 35 years of age, or has medical conditions such as diabetes, hypertension and heart ailments”.
Dr. Rothe also warned us about blood clots that may occur due to any kind of negligence which could potentially result in severe medical ailments such as a brain paralysis attack or respiratory failure.
Not just that, oral contraceptive pills have adverse effects on the cardio-vascular system, which could lead to heart attacks or blood clots. “There is also an increased risk of cervical cancer and incidences of migraine. Intrauterine device (or the T-shaped copper inserted into the uterus) can also lead to increased bleeding, risk of pelvic inflammatory diseases and an increased risk of Ectopic pregnancy (medical condition that puts the mother’s life in danger),” says Dr Yashwanti Mody, Obstetrics & Gynaecologist, Bhatia Hospital, Mumbai.
Effects on the skin
According to Dr Mody, “The oestrogen content in birth control pills has certain causes increased pigmentation, dry skin and dermatoses (skin disease that causes inflammation)”. The only way to minimise the damage is to either promote permanent methods such as sterilisation or use the barrier methods such as condoms, which as per Dr Mody, is the most non-invasive.
Note
All the doctors specified that birth control should always be taken under guidance and never without a follow-up. “Follow-ups allow us to switch the medicines or methods so that the harm is minimised. The patient should also report any side-effects so that action can be taken,” emphasises Dr Kumta.
