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things I wish I knew before taking birth control: part 6

balancing hormones birth control fertility

Continuing the series! A friendly reminder, this post comes from a place of absolute love, genuine curiosity and knowledge empowerment. There is no judgement or shaming here, and any such comments will be removed.

 

Do hormonal contraceptives (HCs) affect our fertility? Let’s take a look at the data.

 

EGG QUALITY/QUANTITY

 

Women ages 19-46 on oral contraceptives (OCs) - adjusted for variables - had up to 30% lower AMH and up to 20% lower AFC. (Petersen et al)

 

🥚AMH = Anti-Müllerian Hormone

🥚AFC = Antral Follicle Count

 

These indicate ovarian reserve and egg quantity. The decrease was noted to be potentially temporary. Other research shows markers can improve over time.

 

ENDOMETRIAL LINING

 

10+ years of OC use was associated with a thinner uterine lining. (Chang et al)

 

Once an egg is fertilized, it needs to be able to successfully implant itself on the lining of the uterus.

 

OVARY SIZE

 

Combination pills are shown to shrink the ovaries by ~50%. (Deb et al)

 

Shrunken ovaries can be related to primary ovarian insufficiency.

CYCLES

OC users can experience 12 months of shorter luteal phases and 9-12 months of longer cycles. Overall, it can take 9-18 months for cycles to normalize, hence a period of subfertility. (Gnoth et al)

PREGNANCY

It can take ~8 months for OC or IUD users, ~10 months for implant users, ~15 months for inj3ct@ble contraceptive users to conceive. The longer the use of hormonal contraception (2+ years), the higher the average. (Hassan et al)

 

NEW ISSUES

 

HCs also increase our risks for new issues that may affect fertility. (Brighten)

 

When I was prescribed the birth control pill, I asked my doctor if it could affect my fertility. I distinctly remember her saying it couldn’t and that I could get pregnant right after coming off. Obviously, this is not the case for everyone.

 

I’m sharing this because I’ve witnessed countless women deal with so much heartache trying to conceive post-HCs.

 

↪But what if we were informed about this?

↪What if our grief is a misalignment with poorly set expectations by our providers?

↪What if our bodies don’t need fertility treatments, but just a little more time?

*

♥️

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Not medical advice.

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This is not medical advice. Always consult your healthcare professional before pursuing any changes to your personal healthcare regime.

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References

Brighten, J. (2019). Beyond the Pill. New York, NY: HarperCollins Publishers.

Deb, S. Campbell, B.K. Pincott-Allen, C. Clewes, J.S. Cumberpatch, G. Raine-Fenning, N.J. (2012). Quantifying effect of combined oral contraceptive pill on functional ovarian reserve as measured by serum anti-Müllerian hormone and small antral follicle count using three-dimensional ultrasound. Retrieved from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21997961/.

Gnoth, C. Frank-Herrmann, P. Schmoll, A. Godehardt, E. Freundl, G. (2002). Cycle characteristics after discontinuation of oral contraceptives. Retrieved from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12396560/.

 

Hassan, M.A. Killick, S.R. (2004). Is previous use of hormonal contraception associated with a detrimental effect on subsequent fecundity?. Retrieved from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/14747178/.

 

Hendrickson-Jack, L. (2019). The Fifth Vital Sign. Fertility Friday Publishing.

 

Petersen, K.B. Hvidman, H.W. Forman, J.L. Pinborg, A. Larsen, E.C. Macklon, K.T. Sylvest, R. Anderson, A.N. (2015). Ovarian reserve assessment in users of oral contraception seeking fertility advice on their reproductive lifespan. Retrieved from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26311148/.

Talukdar, N. Bentov, Y. Chang, P.T. Esfandiari, N. Nazemian, Z. Casper, R.F. (2012). Effect of long-term combined oral contraceptive pill use on endometrial thickness. Retrieved from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22825095/.

 

 

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Remember: this post is for informational purposes only and may not be the best fit for you and your personal situation. It shall not be construed as medical advice. The information and education provided here is not intended or implied to supplement or replace professional medical treatment, advice, and/or diagnosis. Always check with your own physician or medical professional before trying or implementing any information read here. While the owner of this website tries to keep the information up to date, there may be things that are out-of-date and out of their control.