What I Wish Every Woman Knew About Quitting The Pill

As a Holistic Reproductive Health Practitioner, I’m excited to see the trend toward women rethinking their birth control.

For many, the Pill can present very real and problematic side effects, from mood disturbances to life-threatening blood clots. For others, the act of popping a pill on a daily basis can seem out of place with the natural, health-promoting changes we're making in the rest of our lives. After all, when we’re swapping out our body products and food storage containers to avoid parabens, phthalates, and other endocrine-disruptors, it seems counterproductive to intentionally pop a pill that's designed to disrupt our hormonal system on a daily basis.

Fortunately, knowledge about effective non-hormonal contraceptive options are beginning to receive more widespread attention.

After nearly a decade of teaching women how to ditch the Pill and adopt natural birth control. I've seen both the highs and the lows of what this journey entails (and I’ve experienced it first-hand as a decade-long user of the Pill myself). While a woman’s individual health history will impact how her body reacts to coming off the Pill, I can tell you that knowing what to expect and putting support systems in place ahead of time can help ensure a more empowered experience.

Barrier methods and withdrawal are common natural choices and they can be effective when practiced correctly, however they do come with risk. That risk can be mediated by pairing those methods with education in Fertility Awareness Methods (FAM).

No, FAM is not the rhythm method! FAM is a highly accurate form of fertility tracking using a combination of cervical mucus observations, Basal Body Temperature (BBT) and cervical checks. When used correctly, it can be 99.4 percent effective at preventing pregnancy. Of course, it can be used in conjunction with other methods (like barriers and withdrawal) to enhance the efficacy of all three.

The pill is often prescribed to “treat” menstrual disorders like PCOS, amenorrhea, and heavy bleeding. However, it merely erases the symptoms of those conditions, not the underlying cause. If you have a history of menstrual disorders, be sure to enlist professional holistic support to help you address the root cause of your hormonal imbalance.

Hormonal contraceptives can be hard on the body. Among other things, they are associated with an increased risk of Crohn’s Disease and Ulcerative Colitis (in women with a history of smoking). Use of the Pill has also been associated with lower levels of various micronutrients, like B vitamins.

Although previous studies have shown there's no fetal harm in becoming pregnant after ending hormonal birth control, research is ongoing and if you have the option and time to wait before trying to conceive, you may want to consider doing so.

While women initially come to me to learn effective methods for birth control or for reestablishing hormonal health, nearly all my clients leave our work reporting something much deeper.

Whether it's an increased connection with your partner, greater sexual satisfaction, more stable moods, or feeling a deeper sense of connection the earth and her rhythms, connecting with your natural, un-medicated menstrual cycle invariably ends up feeling like a journey home to yourself.