Page 40 - summer2016

Recovery from the

Birth Control Pill

& Other Hormonal Contraceptives

By Kim Schuette, CN, CGP

ince its release in the early sixties, the birth control

pill has been surrounded by concern and controversy.
SWhile over three hundred million women worldwide

have at some point employed the pill due to its alleged
convenience, most have done so unaware of its implica-

tions for women’s health and future fertility. Contrary to
popular wisdom, the pill, with its immediate and long-

term effects on the body’s biology, is not the ideal form of
contraception. Its risks far outweigh the ease with which it

is administered. Regardless of the length of time a woman
has used the pill, the body will require support in recovery

from its use.

Over the decades of the pill’s availability, manufacturers have lowered
its levels of synthetic estrogen and progesterone as evidence of the damag-
ing effects of synthetic hormones emerges—such as increased risks of uter-
ine and breast cancers. The resulting detrimental effects also come from
1
the use of other hormonal contraceptives delivered via patches, injections,
under-the-skin implants, vaginal rings and hormone-impregnated IUDs
(intrauterine devices).
40 Wise Traditions SUMMER 2016 Wise Traditions