The birth control pill has been hailed as a powerful tool that has helped women take control of their reproductive rights for decades. But like any superhero, it comes with its own set of side effects that can leave women feeling less than invincible. In fact, some studies suggest that the pill can even make women choose the wrong partner. That’s right, ladies, this little pill not only messes with our hormones but can impact our love lives too. So let’s dive into how this contraceptive can negatively affect our health and perhaps even our romantic futures.
The birth control pill, also known as “the pill,” is a popular form of contraception used by women worldwide. It is a hormonal method that works by stopping ovulation, as well as altering the cervical mucus to prevent sperm from reaching the egg. Both of these processes can stop fertilisation and pregnancy. Whilst a lot of women take the pill to avoid unwanted pregnancy, it also comes with potential negative side effects that women should be aware of.
It makes you choose the wrong partner
Yep, you heard that right. Research shown that the birth control pill can affect women’s attraction to potential partners. It has been studied that women are attracted to men whose genetic makeup differs from their own. This is because mating with someone who is generically different from you can increase the chances for a healthy pregnancy and a healthy baby. As we saw earlier, the birth control pill works by suppressing ovulation by altering the levels of hormones in a woman’s body. One of the side effects of this hormonal change is that it suppresses the production of pheromones, the chemical signals humans and animals release to attract mates. As a result, a woman’s sense of smell may be less sensitive, and she may be less able to detect subtle differences in the scent of potential partners. This can lead to a situation where a woman chooses a partner who is not genetically compatible with her, and who may not be the best partner for them in terms of long-term compatibility. I’m sure you ladies all know what I’m talking about, right?? Cue the list of all the awful boyfriends in my past…
I have heard stories in which women come off the birth control pill and promptly split up with her partner because they are no longer attracted to them or even find their scent off putting. One study even showed that women who were on the pill tended to be less attracted to male facial masculine features than women who were not on the pill. Another reason for this is because the Pill kind of fools your body into thinking it’s pregnant (you don’t ovulate when you are pregnant), and pregnancy can affect attraction. A study published in Proceedings of the Royal Society B theorised that whilst women are more attracted to genetically dissimilar men (to avoid the possibility of incest and maximize immunity of their offspring,) pregnant women – and also women on the Pill – may be more drawn to genetically similar men because pregnant women seek out the protection of family members. Fascinating stuff!
So, aside from choosing the wrong partner, what other side effects could the pill have?Well, here’s a big one:
It can negatively affect women’s sex drive.
Not really a side effect you want to have if you went on the pill in order to have more sex in the first place! One study found that women who were on the pill reported lower levels of sexual desire, arousal, and satisfaction than women who were not on the pill. This may be due to the pill’s ability to suppress testosterone levels in women, which is a hormone that plays a key role in sexual desire. We usually have a little peak of testosterone just before ovulation, which makes us feel more sassy and in the mood. Ovulation is also the primary biological driver for sex in women, so if we’re not ovulating, there’s no reason to have a libido. Not all women experience this lowering in libido on the pill, but if you have noticed a shift in your sex drive after taking it, it may be worth investigating your birth control method.
It negtively affects our production of progesterone
Speaking of ovulation, because the birth control pill works by stopping ovulation, this also means that women do not produce the hormone progesterone during their menstrual cycles. Progesterone is only produced after an egg has been released, so with no ovulation comes no progesterone. And why do we care? Well, progesterone is a hormone that plays a key role in regulating the menstrual cycle. When women do not produce enough progesterone, they may experience irregular periods, mood swings, insomnia and PMS. Progesterone is also the zen hormone, making us feel calm, helping us sleep, and keeping inflammation at bay. So when women spend years or even decades on the OCP, they might find themselves severely progesterone deficient when they come off it. This could impact their ability to conceive or maintain a pregnancy. And by the way, this also applies to the progesterone only pill, due to it being a progestin, not bioidentical progesterone. Progestin is a synthetic progesterone which doesnt have all the health benefits of natural progesterone. In fact, it can have certain negative effects on the body, such as hair loss or hair growth where we don’t want it, high blood pressure, anxiety and it can even increase the risk of breast cancer.
It affects our stress response
Studies have shown that the birth control pill can affect women’s stress response. One study found that women who were on the pill had a blunted cortisol response to stress compared to women who were not on the pill. What does that mean? Well, when women have a blunted cortisol response, it can impair their ability to handle stressful and negative situations. They may also be more prone to stress-related health problems such as anxiety, brain fog and fatigue.
It negatively affects our mood regulation
Feeling down about all of this information yet? Well, the pill’s ability to alter women’s hormonal balance can also affect mood regulation. So not only can it make you choose the wrong partner, tank your libido, increase hormonal imbalance symptoms and make you less resilient to stress…now you also have low mood. HAPPY DAYS!
Luckily for us women, it is possible to educate ourselves about our bodies and empower ourselves to make choices which are more appropriate for our health. Knowledge is power when it comes to our menstrual cycles and our bodies. From tracking our cycles to learning about more natural forms of birth control, there are plenty of ways to take charge of our bodies and our futures.. And nothing is more empowering than that.
If you feel like you need some extra support, I would love to chat to you! Click here to book a free discovery call and let’s chat about how some bespoke diet and lifestyle changes can help your hormones flourish.
References:
Alvergne, A., et al. (2010). Hormonal contraceptive use in women alters preferences for masculine facial traits. Psychoneuroendocrinology, 35(8), 1355-1361. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23528282/
MHC-correlated odour preferences in humans and the use of oral contraceptives. https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/full/10.1098/rspb.2008.082
Does the contraceptive pill alter mate choice in humans? https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19818527
Oral contraceptive use in women changes preferences for male facial masculinity and is associated with partner facial masculinity https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23528282/
Cortisol Reactivity and Emotional Memory after Psychosocial Stress in Oral Contraceptive Users https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5120609/#R21
Hormonal contraception use alters stress responses and emotional memory https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3558603/
