Non-Hormonal Birth Control Options

Whereas I’ve primarily devoted this web site to the on a regular basis expertise of being a mama, not everybody desires a big household. Some girls really feel their household is full and it’s not of their plan to change into pregnant once more (or in any respect). Listed below are the non-hormonal contraception choices I’ve utilized in my family planning.

Contraception is widespread as of late for quite a lot of causes. In response to the CDC, virtually 25% of ladies aged 15 to 49 presently use a hormonal contraceptive. These embody “the capsule,” a diaphragm, or intrauterine units (IUDs). 

So it’s no shock that I’ve gotten dozens of requests for pure contraception choices. Girls are consistently asking for pure alternate options to hormonal contraceptives. As an introvert, I are inclined to draw back from controversy. Nonetheless, I made a decision to sort out this head-on.

How Do Hormonal Contraceptives Work? 

I’ve a plethora of non-medical causes for avoiding hormonal contraceptives. However there are some strong medical/scientific causes to make this resolution, too. Hormonal contraceptives are synthetic hormone-like substances that mimic the consequences of naturally-occurring hormones. In response to the FDA, these contraceptives work by: 

• Interfering with ovulation. Estrogen and progestin within the tablets cease the ovaries from releasing eggs.
• Thickening the cervical mucus, which prevents sperm from reaching the egg within the fallopian tube.
• Disrupting the power of the fallopian tubes to maneuver fertilized eggs from the ovaries towards the uterus. 
• Stopping the buildup of the uterine lining which, inhibits implantation of a fertilized egg. 

For me, the likelihood that you could possibly conceive however the fertilized egg wouldn’t implant is disturbing. It’s sufficient to maintain me from ever wanting to make use of hormonal contraceptives. And there’s a protracted checklist of different causes. Nevertheless it seems synthetic hormones additionally injury girls’s well being.

(In addition they injury environmental well being once they find yourself within the water provide). 

Why Keep away from Hormonal Contraceptives?

There are many well being causes to keep away from hormonal strategies of contraception. Hormonal contraceptives affect far more than your hormones. Utilizing them can undermine your well being over time and even result in new well being circumstances.

Might Trigger Nutrient Depletion

Many medicines have an effect on how we soak up vitamins, which may trigger deficiencies. Hormonal contraceptives are not any completely different. Researchers have discovered these medicines deplete key nutritional vitamins and minerals. This may be detrimental to reproductive well being, bone well being, the mind, the immune system, and extra. 

A 2011 randomized managed trial discovered hormonal contraceptives deplete sure vitamins. This contains vitamin B6, zinc, selenium, phosphorus, and magnesium. These deficiencies can result in different well being issues due to the vital function these vitamins play.

Vitamin B6 and magnesium are vital for hormone steadiness. The minerals zinc and selenium are essential for the immune response. Phosphorus makes sturdy bones. 

One other hormonal contraception technique is a transdermal patch. This technique delivers artificial estradiol straight into the bloodstream. It might trigger considerably decrease ranges of coenzyme Q10 and alpha-tocopherol. When the physique is low in these vitamins, it will probably result in elevated oxidative stress, irritation, and calcification. 

Moreover depleting these vitamins, the capsule also can result in an extra of copper, calcium, and iron. This could then exacerbate deficiencies in different vitamins.

Might Trigger Melancholy or Nervousness 

Relying on the kind of capsule and its elements, hormonal contraceptives could cause or worsen despair or anxiousness. This appears to happen extra usually in these with a private historical past of temper problems or a household historical past of temper problems.

Might Result in Low Libido, Sexual Dysfunction, and Infertility

Whereas girls usually take hormonal contraceptives to assist them take pleasure in intercourse risk-free, it doesn’t all the time prove that manner. The usage of these tablets could compromise your sexual well being. A 2001 research in Human Copy discovered hormonal contraception could lower your curiosity in intercourse.  

A 2014 research studies it could additionally trigger points down there that lower pleasure. Plus, if you happen to resolve you need to have a child down the highway, it could be harder. 

Might Trigger Blood Clots

Blood clots are a big danger of sure tablets. Whereas blood clots from taking the capsule are uncommon, they’re an enormous deal as a result of they are often deadly. Yaz and Yasmin specifically have been linked to blood clots. In response to a 2011 warning by Well being Canada, a lady utilizing Yaz has a 1-½ to three occasions elevated danger of blood clots in comparison with different contraception tablets.

Might Contribute to Cardiovascular Illness

Girls who use low-dose oral contraceptives have double the chance of a deadly coronary heart assault in comparison with those that don’t. A 1990 overview discovered women who use oral contraceptives and smoke have 12 occasions the chance of deadly coronary heart assaults. Their price of deadly mind hemorrhages is 3 times larger.

The British Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology carried out a scientific trial of ladies with a historical past of migraines.  They discovered that those that take mixed oral contraceptives have 2-4 occasions the chance of stroke in comparison with those that don’t take the capsule.

Might Result in Blood Sugar Points

A 2003 journal article discovered oral contraceptives could worsen insulin resistance. It is because they lower insulin sensitivity and glucose tolerance. Because of this, these medicines could enhance your long-term danger of diabetes and coronary heart illness.

Might Enhance Your Threat of Most cancers 

A research by the World Well being Group tied contraceptive use to cervical most cancers. Girls who’ve HPV and have taken the capsule for 5 to 9 years have a better cervical most cancers danger. They’re practically 3 times extra doubtless than non-pill customers to develop cervical most cancers.

HPV impacts a 3rd of all girls of their twenties. And ladies with HPV who’ve taken the capsule for greater than ten years are 4 occasions extra doubtless than non-users to develop the illness.

Scandinavian researchers checked out girls who use the capsule after age 45. They discovered this age group has a 144% higher danger of creating breast most cancers than girls who’ve by no means used the capsule. That’s 144 %! 

With all these potential issues, are hormonal contraceptives value it? Is it value risking most cancers to manage your cycles and enhance the look of your pores and skin? Fortunately there are significantly better choices!

Taking The Tablet For Balanced Pores and skin and Hormones?

Many ladies use hormonal contraceptives to assist “steadiness hormones,” or “regulate their cycle.” They could even use them simply to forestall zits. The issue is that this treats the signs however doesn’t handle the foundation trigger. The physique naturally strikes towards steadiness, so if hormones are out of whack, it’s not from a contraceptive deficiency. It’s that the physique isn’t producing optimum ranges of pure hormones.

Treating some signs of hormonal imbalance with these medicines fails to repair the foundation of the issue. It could possibly additionally result in extra important well being points sooner or later. The underlying imbalance can nonetheless trigger different issues within the physique.

I used to have horrible zits issues! Clear consuming and the oil cleaning technique actually helped clear up my pores and skin. If hormone steadiness is the aim, try this article to study some ways to steadiness hormones naturally. 

Dietary supplements For Hormone Stability

I’ve additionally discovered some dietary supplements that assist lots. 

• Maca – This hormone-balancing root has a protracted historical past of use in Peru. It could possibly assist with fertility, discount in PMS, and higher pores and skin and hair. It could possibly additionally increase male fertility. Maca is an efficient supply of minerals and important fatty acids so I like utilizing it in smoothies or espresso. You shouldn’t take it throughout being pregnant although. 
• Magnesium – This mineral is important for lots of of capabilities inside the human physique. Most of us are poor, however there are a number of alternative ways to get magnesium. I like this magnesium powder, particularly for staying common. Ionic liquid magnesium or magnesium oil are each actually good.
• Vitamin D – A pre-hormone that helps hormone perform. It’s greatest to get it from the solar if attainable, or you’ll be able to take a D3 complement. Ideally, get your serum Vitamin D ranges checked to trace your ranges.
• Gelatin or Collagen – An awesome supply of minerals and needed amino acids. These powders help hormone manufacturing and digestive well being in numerous methods. Gelatin powder can really “gel.” It really works properly in recipes like do-it-yourself jello and probiotic marshmallows. Collagen powder doesn’t gel however simply stirs into soups, smoothies, espresso, tea, or every other meals.
• Pure Progesterone Cream – Menstrual troubles are sometimes resulting from hormone imbalances, like low progesterone. Progesterone cream is particularly useful for these with quick cycles. It could possibly additionally assist when you have a brief second section of your cycle (ovulation by means of the beginning of menses). In the event you do use progesterone cream, do your analysis. Go for soy-free and solely use it throughout ovulation by means of menses. Examine with a physician or healthcare supplier earlier than utilizing any hormone complement.

Which Delivery Management Strategies I Don’t Advocate

There are some non-hormonal contraception strategies I don’t suggest. This is because of their potential toxicity, impact on the physique, or potential for miscarriage. 

Delivery Management Sponge

The contraceptive sponge is non-hormonal but it surely has chemical substances. It’s fabricated from polyurethane — a squishy plastic. Then it’s doused with a chemical referred to as Nonoxynol-9. This chemical can irritate your vagina, growing your danger of an infection. Nonoxynol-9 is taken into account protected to be used in private care merchandise in the US. However for some purpose, the European Union has banned them… 

Copper IUD

Gynecologists usually suggest copper IUDs as a pure kind of contraception. Whereas they’re technically non-hormonal, copper has a serious impact on hormones. Copper, when it will get out of steadiness with zinc, could cause every kind of well being issues. A few of these embody estrogen dominance, PCOS, and breast most cancers.

Tubal Ligation or Vasectomy 

Tubal ligation and vasectomies are each types of sterilization. They’re 99% efficient however can include dangers.

Girls usually confer with tubal ligations as “getting your tubes tied.” Tubal ligation is a surgical process that blocks or removes part of your fallopian tubes. It prevents eggs out of your ovaries from assembly up with sperm within the fallopian tubes. That’s the place they might in any other case be fertilized and implant themselves within the uterus.

A vasectomy can also be a surgical process of blocking or eradicating tubes. On this case, the small tubes in a person’s scrotum are blocked or eliminated. The result’s sperm can not go away the physique and trigger a being pregnant.

Vasectomies can enhance the chance of prostate most cancers and autoimmune illness. And ladies with tubal ligations have a better probability of harmful ectopic pregnancies.

Any Type of Emergency Contraception

Copper IUDs are generally used as emergency contraception. Emergency contraception, whether or not it’s a Plan B capsule or a copper IUD has abortion-inducing properties. Whereas it’s a non-hormonal contraception choice, I don’t suggest copper IUDs as emergency contraception.

Why I Don’t Advocate Herbs For Non-Hormonal Delivery Management

Some herbs can work as contraceptives, however I cannot checklist them or suggest them for a number of causes:

• Many have abortifacient properties that may result in early miscarriage.
• Most additionally affect the physique in the identical manner that hormonal contraceptives do. So, they will trigger related issues for the mom as properly. Herbs are efficient and potent, and must be used with care. It’s vital to keep away from sure herbs for these causes.
• Not one of the “contraceptive” herbs are 100% efficient. They’ve unwanted effects, and lots of could cause start defects if conception does happen.

Pure Methods to Stop or Delay Being pregnant 

Synthetic hormones aren’t one thing I need to take. However what if balancing hormones isn’t the rationale for taking hormonal contraceptives? Possibly you really have to delay or forestall being pregnant. In that case, there are higher contraception choices.

The next strategies of contraception are significantly better to your physique.

Non-Hormonal Delivery Management: Pure Household Planning (NFP)

Pure Household Planning (NFP) or Fertility Consciousness Strategies (FAM) are pure strategies of being pregnant prevention. However they will additionally aid you get pregnant. They do that by specializing in pure hormonal cues.

These strategies carry no unwanted effects and assist girls get to know their our bodies higher. Some girls uncover issues (endometriosis, anovulation, and many others.) from practising these strategies. A aspect profit is that they assist girls be extra in contact with their pure hormonal cues. 

Whereas these strategies get a foul rap, they’ve come a great distance from the Rhythm Strategies of the previous. Many at the moment are as efficient as hormonal strategies (and more practical than barrier strategies) when used constantly. It’s non-hormonal contraception that may both delay or obtain being pregnant. So if you happen to resolve to get pregnant, you don’t have to fret about infertility, start defects, or delayed fertility after discontinuing.

The essential idea is to make use of cues to foretell ovulation and keep away from intercourse if you’re fertile. These are issues like basal physique temperature (utilizing a basal or BBT thermometer), mucus manufacturing, and cervical place. You may also use an ovulation calculator to seek out the fertile window in your menstrual cycle.

There are courses instructing find out how to apply these strategies throughout the nation. However for individuals who can’t discover a class, there are web sites like Fertility Pal. This free web site permits customers to chart their signs and pinpoint ovulation. There are even apps and cell options for simple monitoring.

Excessive Tech NFP 

After one among my pregnancies, I made a decision to go high-tech. I used a pc to do the NFP monitoring and calculation for me. Due to rising know-how, there are a number of wonderful choices out there now (I’d use all listed):

• The OvaCue Fertility Monitor / Cellular Model for iPhone. –  The OvaCue predicts ovulation utilizing a patented Electrolyte Technique™. This system is 98.3% correct in predicting ovulation in scientific research overseen by the Nationwide Institute of Well being. Throughout your month-to-month cycle, your physique retains or discards electrolyte minerals. Suppose, sodium and potassium. The OvaCue tracks adjustments in these electrolyte ranges in your saliva. It processes this data to exactly outline your “time of peak fertility.” I’ve used the OvaCue even when nonetheless breastfeeding to keep away from being pregnant. It even helped detect my double ovulation.
• If these choices aren’t a great match, you are able to do NFP with out a pc. All you want is an easy Basal Thermometer. Then you definately observe the tactic manually.
• Strategies like ClearBlue screens measure Luteinizing Hormones and estrogen to pinpoint ovulation. Although cheaper upfront, these require shopping for extra ovulation strips, which you employ every day. So, they are often costlier in the long term.
• Fertile Focus – It is a easy and cheap fertility detector. The essential thought is that this microscope reveals adjustments in saliva earlier than ovulation (the identical adjustments the Ovacue can learn). By inspecting saliva every day, you’ll be able to predict when ovulation happens. I take advantage of this together with the OvaCue Cellular for the most effective accuracy. 

Try my full critiques of those completely different fertility screens right here.

Good Outdated Normal Condoms 

Male condoms are nonetheless the most well-liked type of non-hormonal contraception all over the world. Individuals like condoms as a result of they’re each easy and efficient and out there over-the-counter. However they want a correct match. To make sure a great match, have your companion go to myONE Good Match to seek out one that matches properly. They’ve ten lengths, 9 sizes, and 60 complete choices.

Whereas condoms are a preferred choice based mostly on medical data, they might not be a great choice based mostly in your religion or non secular beliefs. 

Caya Diaphragm for Non-Hormonal Delivery Management

Utilizing a diaphragm is one other kind of hormone-free contraception to look into. It’s a reusable cup that matches contained in the vagina and over the cervix. The thought is to create a barrier between the uterus and sperm.

Most diaphragms are latex, which some individuals have allergy symptoms to. The Caya Contoured Diaphragm is silicone. As a result of it’s one-size-fits-all, it doesn’t should be fitted by your physician. You should buy it straight on-line or get a prescription out of your pharmacist. It’s eco-friendly and offers you the choice of occasional safety. It simply requires a water-based spermicide. There are pure variations like lemon juice and others.

Bear in mind that as a result of diaphragms can put stress in your urethra, they’re linked to urinary tract infections (UTIs). 

Cervical Cap

A cervical cap is much like a diaphragm in that it matches contained in the vagina and over the cervix. The one out there in the US is named FemCap® and is fabricated from silicon. For the most effective efficiency, it must be mixed with a spermicide of some sort. Once more, you should utilize a extra pure model of this non-hormonal contraception.

Withdrawal or “Pull-Out” Possibility

In the event you want unprotected intercourse, you’ll be able to have your man pull out his penis earlier than ejaculation. It’s important to be certain that to do it appropriately each time. That’s doubtless why it has a 22% failure price. This type of non-hormonal contraception is standard however dangerous. You can also make it more practical by combining it with a male condom.

What do you suppose? Ever used pure strategies for balancing hormones or delaying being pregnant? Produce other recommendations? Share under!