Isn’t it crazy…. we spend our lives trying so hard NOT to get pregnant and when we do want to get pregnant it can be so difficult for many women!
Today, I want to talk about birth control and its effect on our fertility and health and what every woman who has ever taken birth control pills needs to know.
Over 10 million women take birth control pills. That’s a lot pills! (hmmm… wonder if that’s why they’re finding trace amounts of birth control pills in our water?
Yeah, that really is true… but I digress. Let’s get back to the main topic!)
When it comes to fertility it’s important to know that birth control pills (BCPs) can leave its mark on your body.
Here are some of the effects Birth Control can have:
Low Libido
BCPs lower testosterone and DHEA and this can cause a woman to have fewer sexual thoughts and be less interested in sex. It can be months and sometimes years before these hormones and libido return to normal after BCPs have been discontinued. Making a baby usually requires some intimacy and it’s usually better if both partners are in the mood
Post Pill PCOS
Can BCPs actually induce PCOS? Well, it turns out this is a real thing. BCPs can disrupt the communication between the brain and the ovaries so once BCPs are stopped the communication doesn’t return right away. This is why for some women they may be diagnosed with PCOS after discontinuing the pill. In these cases it’s important to understand where the miscommunication is and where the imbalances are and then restore order which should help to bring back regular cycles and hormonal balance. And, remember, the brain has everything to do with fertility so if the communication is messed up then we have a problem.
Nutrient Depletion
This is a big one! It is well known that BCPs deplete key nutrients in the body. BCPs deplete the body of vitamins and minerals that are essential to a mom-to-be’s health. Nutrients like Folate, B vitamins, Selenium, Zn, and antioxidants are depleted. A ‘malnourished’ body does not make making a baby a priority.
If a woman does get pregnant soon after discontinuing BCPs her health and the baby’s health could be compromised. Baby’s need a lot of nutrients from mom and mom will get depleted even further. This depletion can make pregnancy difficult the post partum time even more challenging.
Don’t try to build a house on a cracked foundation!
Endometrial Lining
Guess where a baby implants itself and grows for 9 months? Yup, you guessed it…. the endometrial lining. This is the lining of your uterus.
BCPs can thin this uterine lining making it very difficult for an embryo to implant itself.
If an embryo can’t implant then you don’t get pregnant.
Cervical Mucus
If you read the article “6 Must Haves to get Pregnant” then you know fertile cervical mucus is important. BCPs can make cervical more hostile to sperm and if this isn’t reversed after you stop taking the pill then getting pregnant could be difficult.
Gut Bacteria Chaos
BCP can really mess with your gut bacteria and allow harmful bacteria and yeast to grow.
We have 100trillion bacteria living in our bodies so when the ratio of good to bad bacteria gets thrown off you can imagine that it can cause problems.
Some of these problems include:
- Mood disorders & Depression. Our mental health intimately related to how our gut functions.
- Excess estrogen. Good bacteria help to remove excess estrogen from the body. When gut function is altered the body can’t remove estrogens which could lead to cysts, fibrocystic breasts, weight gain, irregular periods.
- Getting sick more often. Gut bacteria plays a crucial role with our immune system.
Affects other hormones
BCP lower Thyroid Levels.
Thyroid function is critical to fertility and a developing baby’s brain. Women with insufficient thyroid hormone levels have an increased risk of infertility and miscarriage. And, if pregnancy does occur, low thyroid levels can absolutely affect a developing baby’s brain.
Inflammation
BCPs appear to raise inflammation in the body. An inflamed body does not make fertility a priority.
What do you do if you’ve taken BCPs in the past?
If you have taken Birth Control Pills for any length of time it is so important to allow your body to rebuild and replete your nutrient status before trying to get conceive. Take at least 3 months and focus on rebuilding and repairing.
It’s so important for your fertility and your baby’s health.
Babies today have enough challenges to deal with once they’re born. Optimize your health before conception and give your babies the ultimate gift of good health.
Learn more about the Preconception Program which is designed to clean out and rebuild your nutrient status before getting pregnant and building a whole new human being.
