Little Cherry,

I’ve got a question for you about the pill. I met someone at work who was telling me that she took birth control pills everyday so that she wouldn’t have a period. Can you even do that? Does it depend on the brand? Is that dangerous? What’s going on? I’m not taking the pill, but if it could prevent my periods, I’d be all for it. Help me, please!

-No-Mo-Aunt-Flo

NMAF,

In regards to your friend, it’s difficult to know exactly what type of pill she is taking and how it may affect her health. What I can tell you is how birth control pills can prevent monthly bleeding… Perhaps this will help.

There are two main types of birth control pills: combined hormonal pills and progestin-only pills. Some women use monophasic combined hormonal pills (meaning that all of the active pills contain the same level of hormones) for continuous cycling. Continuous cycling is a term used to describe the process of skipping the placebo pills in order to prevent bleeding. Also, the progestin-only pills (A.K.A. ‘POPs’ or ‘mini-pills’) are taken everyday, which causes many women to eventually stop bleeding. [Other progestin-only birth control methods include the Implanon implant and the Depo-Provera shot.] The reason why these methods can prevent bleeding is that the constant hormone levels keep the uterine lining from getting thick- meaning, very simply, that there just isn’t anything to shed. Many professionals feel that skipping monthly bleeding in this manner should not be considered dangerous for a woman’s health. However, I would still recommend that you choose your birth control method in consultation with a clinician.

No matter what pill/method you choose, make sure you whip out your magnifying glass for that FDA fine-print pamphlet. Though it may be a dry read, side effects like headaches, abdominal pain, chest pain, eye pain, and severe leg pain really do need to be addressed immediately!

To find out more about birth control pills, check out our episode “Hormonal Birth Control.”

Keep asking questions,
Little Cherry

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Little Cherry,

I have been sexually active for a few years and am interested in taking birth control. (Don’t worry, I already get tested for STDs!) I did some research online about cervical caps and diaphragms, but I still can’t tell them apart. Can you please tell me what the difference is and why people use them.

-Confused

Dear Confused,

Great questions! In a lot of ways, diaphragms and cervical caps are very similar. Both are prescription forms of birth control, which function as barrier methods- meaning that they block the sperm from entering into the uterus, thus preventing pregnancy. (They do so by covering the cervix.) They also require the use of spermicide, which helps to kill off the sperm. If taken care of properly, cervical caps and diaphragms can both last for a couple of years. Nevertheless, there are a few key differences.

Differences between cervical caps and diaphragms include:

· Cervical caps come in only a few set sizes, which unfortunately do not cater to all women’s shapes. Diaphragms, on the other hand, are specifically fit to each body by a doctor.

· The diaphragm covers not only the cervix, but also some of the area around the cervix. By covering more surface area, it may help to protect against some STDs. (*Even so, you still need to use a latex condom with either one of these methods in order to prevent STD transmission!)

· Cervical caps and diaphragms must be kept in prior to and post sex for different amounts of time. Ask your doctor for more specific details.

When picking out your birth control, I’ve got a bit of advice to keep in mind: birth control is not only a product, but also a method. I stress this because if it doesn’t fit into your lifestyle, it’s very easy to take the product incorrectly (resulting in a drop in the effectiveness rate.) As I’ve already mentioned, both forms of birth control require you to prepare for sex ahead of time. Do you need something spur of the moment? Also, are you comfortable feeling around for your cervix and inserting the birth control? This is certainly not to discourage you from using the diaphragm or cervical cap. They can both be really great options, especially for those unable to use hormonal methods. Since you are interested in learning more, I would definitely recommend speaking to your health care provider about any birth control questions or concerns. Also, check out our episode entitled ‘Barrier Birth Control’ for more advice. Hopefully, you’ll find a method that’s a ‘great fit.’

Ask questions!,
Little Cherry

Have your own question? Please send questions to “questions at cherrytv dot com” (trying to avoid the spam spiders by spelling it out!). We’ll attempt to address it here on the blog and possibly even cover it on a show.