But many people are never given a choice.
Perhaps this is why it seems like the hottest millennial trend of the moment is quitting birth control.
Formula selection has also expanded in the last 50 years.
Ethinylestradiol is still the go-to estrogen, but today, your progestin options go beyond norethindrone.
Scientists have been chasing the perfect progestin for decades, and theyve synthesized several other options over the years.
However, the estrogen in combined norethindrone pills cancels out these effects enough to be usable for most people.
The key phrase here is most people.
Davis emphasizes that the slight differences between progestins are practically meaningless for the average user.
Oral contraceptives significantly decrease your risk of ovarian, endometrial, and colorectal cancers.
However, modern pill formulas contain such low estrogen doses that the risk is minuscule.
But for the vast majority of people, the pill has a negligible effect on blood clot risk.
If you take estrogen in a birth control pill, youre gonna drop your testosterone quite a bit.
Although they definitely can work, Davis remains skeptical of the marketing around certain pills as acne treatments.
That brings in new users and more money.
No drug company wants to pay for a study where theyre going to lose, as Davis puts it.
The pill letsyoucontrol your periodnot the other way around.
Hormonal IUDswhich contain the progestin levonorgestrel, but no estrogentotally stop menstruation for some people, but not everyone.
However, this isnt exactly ironclad proof.
Heres what you should probably know to minimize the chances of that happening.
Do you have pain?
Do you want to see [your period] every month?
Would you be fine if you didnt?
Would you prefer not to?
Would you
like
to never get a period?
If your period is no big deal, most pills will probably work for you.
Many specialists provide online consultations via video chat, too.
I mean, thats medicine.
