In a time where rollbacks on female bodied health access feels imminent, finding the right birth control seems more urgent than ever. While birth control is most known for it’s pregnancy prevention, Planned Parenthood reports that it can also help with reducing acne, regulating the menstrual cycle, and easing cramps. Whatever your reason for taking birth control, it remains important to find a method that works for your body and lifestyle. Are you disciplined enough to take a pill daily? Would you be comfortable with an insertion of an implant in your vagina? Are you interested in a birth control that is more long-term? These are all questions to ask yourself in the process of finding the right method for yourself.
To make this process a little easier, I interviewed 6 people on their experiences with different birth control methods. Please keep in mind that these are all testimonials from people with different bodies and health conditions. I still highly recommend consulting with your primary doctor or OBGYN to find the right birth control method for you. Use this as a tool in your birth control journey rather than a determining factor.
PILL (Lo Lestrin Fe)
Name & Pronouns: Anonymous; She/Her/Hers
Time on birth control: 9 months
Things she loves about her birth control: “It helps me not get pregnant. That’s pretty much it. My periods are also lighter, yet they were never that bad to begin with.”
Things they don’t love about their birth control: “When I first started I had major breakouts (and other than the occasional breakout I had pretty clear skin before) my emotions felt almost uncontrollable ( a lot of waves of irritability and waves of sadness), I had super inconsistent periods (some lasting 14 to 18 days ). After a little over 3 months the first two issues were resolved but my periods have yet to become consistent.”
Would you recommend your birth control to other people/whom would you recommend it to? “From the way I described it the pill probably sounds like a horrible choice, but I think my case was just specific to my body. I would recommend it to people who are disciplined because of the risk of side effects and ensure proper pregnancy prevention.”
Patches
Name & Pronouns: Reed; they/them
Time on birth control: 1 year and 6 months
Things they loved about their birth control: “It's very convenient! I only have to remember to change it every week, which is so much easier than taking a pill every day. You can easily just set a calendar reminder to change it in the morning on the same day each week, and you don't have to keep pills around. This makes it easier to plan for travel - if you forget your patch, it's a lot less devastating than forgetting your pills for a long time. Also, you can stop it at any time for whatever reason, unlike the more long-term internal methods. For me, this was a big benefit because I knew I wanted to undergo hormone replacement therapy in the near future.”
Things they don’t love about their birth control: “The worst part has got to be the fact that it's external on your body. There's just no getting around that you're probably going to have to keep seeing it. On the bright side, it can be placed in a discrete area so that it's not too visible, like your hip. From what I could tell, though, they only made patches in a white skin tone, so that discreteness is not readily available for people of color. Also, the patches are less effective if you're over a certain weight. So, if you're relatively tall or large, the patches might not work for you.”
Would you recommend your birth control to other people/whom would you recommend it to? “I'd recommend it for people who want more control over their birth control, but who might not remember to take the pill regularly. If you plan on having kids in the near future, any changes to your medical history, or just don't want anything to be put inside you, the patch is a great alternative to the pill.”
Nexplanon Implant
Name & Pronouns: Desirae'; She/her/hers
Time on birth control: 3.5 years (just got a new one put in March 2019)
Things she loves about her birth control: “I did not have a period for the first couple of months, it was completely covered by my insurance, my periods are much lighter and usually only lasts for 2-3 days (whenever I do have them), I rarely have cramps, and it is not noticeable or uncomfortable (sometimes I forget I have it).”
Things she doesn’t love about her birth control: “There are times where I spot for a couple days between having a period. Also, the first time the implant was installed it left a bruise on my arm but it went away. The second time I got a bruise that has not gone away yet but it is not too noticeable.”
Would you recommend your birth control to other people/whom would you recommend it to? “I got this birth control when I first became sexually active and it has been very consistent. I would recommend this to women, who like me, would forget to take a pill and would rather not have to think too much about their birth control. You can keep it in for 3 year cycles and can take it out whenever needed. But definitely do your research first to determine which would be best for you.”
IUD- Mirena
Name & Pronouns : Anonymous; She/her/hers
Time on birth control: 1 year
Things she loves about her birth control: “One of the main reasons why I chose this form of birth control was because of the lack of maintenance. I did not want to have to remember to take a pill everyday or get a shot every 3 months. It gave me a sense of security.”
Things she doesn’t love about her birth control: “Although the Mirena gave me a sense of security, until recently it has been a horrible experience. I spotted or bled for more than 8 months straight. There were times throughout this 8 month period where I would get a 3-5 day break from bleeding or spotting but they were sporadic and unpredictable. After the 8 month period I went about a month before getting a light 3 day period, 3 weeks later I received another light period. I now just have random spotting for a few days every couple of weeks.
Would you recommend your birth control to other people/whom would you recommend it to? “While the security is nice, I think it took entirely too long for my body to adjust to this birth control method. I’m sure it is case by case considering all bodies are different.”
Depo-Provera Shot
Name & Pronouns: Alex; she/her/hers
Time on birth control: 1 year and 6 months
Things she loves about her birth control: “I love this birth control because I don’t get my period. I also have a blood condition called Factor 5 Leiden, which means that my blood clots much quicker than the average person. Because of this condition, I cannot take synthetic estrogen, and until I was 19 I thought that I could never use any kind of birth control at all. I first went on birth control because I had to be hospitalized for an ovarian cyst that ruptured in December of 2016. To stop my body from producing ovarian cysts, I was given progesterone-only birth control that completely stops me from ovulating, which causes me to no longer get my period. The Depo-Provera shot is only progesterone, so it allows me to maintain my health and I am so grateful for that. It’s also extremely low maintenance—I get the shot once every 3 months, and that’s all I have to do. It’s also stopped cramping that I used to have pretty frequently. It has worked perfectly for me!”
Things she doesn’t love about her birth control: “Some spotting occurs, and I am sometimes a little sore after my shot. I have experienced very minimal weight gain, but other than that I have no complaints.”
Would you recommend your birth control to other people/whom would you recommend it to? “If you do not want your period, this is a great birth control method. It’s super effective, low maintenance, and you don’t have to remember to take a pill every day. I would also definitely recommend this to other people who cannot take birth control that contains estrogen. This option allows you to still use birth control while being safe, and I haven’t experienced any adverse side effects. I highly recommend this option!”
Nuva Ring
Name & Pronouns: Bri; She/Her/Hers
Time on birth control: 2.5 years
Things she loves about her birth control: “The Nuva Ring was perfect for me because it was not permanent but also didn’t entail daily maintenance. I only have to put in a new ring ring every month after I take out my old one for 7 days to have my period.”
Things she doesn’t love about her birth control: “The first months were difficult. When I would put in a new ring the hormone rush would lead to morning sickness but that went away after about four times. The Nuva Ring must also be refrigerated so if you are uncomfortable having your birth control in an accessible place then I would not recommend it. It may also be scary for some people to insert the ring themselves. “
Would you recommend your birth control to other people/whom would you recommend it to? “I would recommend the Nuva Ring for anyone that is looking for a middle ground. This is a great method for people who are uncomfortable with the idea of long term or intrusive birth control methods but also deterred from the pill. I am now very comfortable with the ring and I have no intentions of changing to another method anytime soon.”
