How to Choose the Least Worst Birth Control Pill
Because every mode of contraception comes with drawbacks
When I first went on the birth control pill, I was a passive observer in the process: My doctor gave me a prescription, I filled it, and I didn’t ask any questions. I knew almost nothing about the medication, what was in it, or why it was being chosen for me. It’s not like I was being irresponsible or my doctor was being secretive; it’s more like — that’s just the way it went. You got the birth control pill you got, often without really understanding why. But there’s reason to believe this might be changing.
In an age of increased interest in health and wellness, women are demanding more transparency when it comes to the things they put in their bodies. We want to know what’s in our food—think of that viral image of “what Nutella is actually made of.” Earlier this year, the NPD Group reported that more consumers are seeking out beauty products that are free from ingredients like sulfates, phthalates, and gluten. And just this month, New York became the first state to require menstrual-product manufacturers to disclose the ingredients in pads and tampons.
That’s just the way it went: You got the pill you got, often without really understanding why. But there’s…
