In light of World Contraception Day, I’ve got some things on my heart that I’d like to share with all of those who are educating about contraception and its benefits.

This health awareness day, according to Your Life was founded with the mission “to improve awareness of contraception and to enable young people to make informed choices on their sexual and reproductive health.”

This is my interpretation of it.

And the focus shall be on the key phrase “informed choices.”

Lately, I’ve been in flow-versations with teens and adults, those in the political space, those having problems getting and staying pregnant and the every day person about sex education and contraception.

All of which, education is seriously lacking or misinformed. If the education is not there or fully disclosed, then how can a young person (or adult) may an “informed choice?” 

This is Period Bypassing™ in the sex education and contraception industries!

When there isn’t full education on contraception use and in sex education, then there are some hefty costs to be paid…of which is often the tween/teen girl and the adult woman.

So, while we may encourage the use of contraception, including making it more accessible, consider these costs and risks. Costs such as:

• Not being informed about your body leading to making decisions without understanding the holistic (or whole) impact to the body’s systems
• Perpetuating the culture of “do what I tell you to do” without question
• Supporting the use and purchase of other products that are there to “fix” the effects of contraception use
• Fertility challenges where not only are there hormonal disharmonies, but physical changes because of scarring, ovaries needing to be removed, hysterectomies at a really young age, blocked tubes and more
• Potentially increasing incidences of formation of cysts and fibroids, or diagnosis of PCOS or other metabolic syndromes
• Rise in STD/STI diagnoses amongst teens

As there is an increase in digestive disorders, mental health conditions and even autoimmune conditions, it may not be asked about or considered to see what is the use of hormonal contraception among those with any of the above diagnoses.

With hormonal contraception use, you are impacted way beyond “regulating a period” or “preventing pregnancy.”

The manipulation of your body’s system with the use of synthetic hormones affects:

• The way you’re able to metabolize (or break down) foods to absorb nutrients, including changing the atmosphere of the microbiome of bacteria, yeast and fungi
• The proper functioning of your immune system – I mean, since you’re manipulating the gut microbiome, you’re messing with your immune system of which the majority of the functioning of your immune system comes from your gut
• The way your neurotransmitters are produced and functioning – hello anxiety and depression!
• The way your bones grow and mature – cavities, easy fractures (the calcium that you’re unable to absorb has to come from somewhere)

My message to the pre-teens, tweens, teens, young adults: it’s so easy to make the decision based on if it’s quick and easy. This makes way for what may seem “quick” to be a long term condition or seem “easy” to be a struggle somewhere else.

If you’re confused about something, ask for help. Take the time to learn about menstrual health. It is possible to learn about the higher fertility time of her cycle. It takes some time to begin tracking what you’re seeing but once you’re in it and going, it becomes a lot easier. Not sure what to be tracking (and, yes, it’s more than the number of days to be actively bleeding), get the Cycle Syncing Checklist and Healthy Cycle Guidelines.