The ovarian hormones estradiol and progesterone are highly beneficial for general health, and the only way to make them is with regular ovulation.
birth control
A survey of the benefits and side effects of hormonal birth control including natural alternatives for contraception and the treatment of period problems.
The Pros and Cons of Copper IUDs (ParaGard or Miudella)
Copper IUDs or coils (ParaGard or the new Miudella) are non-hormonal methods of birth control.
The main advantage of a copper IUD over hormonal methods is that it contains no contraceptive medication and therefore permits natural ovulatory menstrual cycles.
Of course, it also has some downsides.
Do Women Need Periods?
With the 2019 news that women don’t need pill bleeds came the assurance that “women don’t need periods.” But is that accurate?
It’s true that women don’t need monthly pill withdrawal bleeds because they’re not periods, but women do need (or at least benefit from) monthly natural menstrual cycles because that’s how we make the hormones estradiol and progesterone.
Which Types of Birth Control Cause Weight Gain?
Hormonal birth control can negatively affect metabolic health and contribute to weight gain. Some types are more likely to do so than others, depending on the type of progestin.
But before we get to the question of “which progestin,” I’ll just point out that the biggest problem with hormonal birth control is that it (usually) switches off hormones.