We Can Help You Get Your Questions Answered About Menopause
- Meet with a Gennev board-certified gynecologist who is a menopause specialist – they are used to having frank and open discussions about menopasue, and can offer a trusted opinion, determine if medication is right for you, and provide prescription support.
- Partner with a Menopause Health Coach for understanding the actionable lifestyle changes that may help manage your symptoms, and the support you need to help you start feeling better.
- Try Vitality our #1 daily multi-vitamin supplement is packed with nutrients that support your whole body including mood, energy, stress response, immune health, joint pain, and inflammation. 96% of women report having more energy after just 2-weeks with Vitality.
The information on the Gennev site is never meant to replace the care of a qualified medical professional. Hormonal shifts throughout menopause can prompt a lot of changes in your body, and simply assuming something is just menopause can leave you vulnerable to other possible causes. Always consult with your physician or schedule an appointment with one of Gennev’s telemedicine doctors before beginning any new treatment or therapy.
Why Consider A Birth Control Option Without Estrogen
There are several reasons why you might want to consider a birth control option that doesnt contain synthetic estrogen. For some its a medical decision, as birth control containing estrogen isnt recommended for women who are:
- Over 35 and smoke
- Affected by medical conditions such as problems with circulation
- Prone to migraine with aura
For others, the decision to choose birth control without estrogen might be because of unwanted hormonal birth control side effects, or may be a lifestyle change motivated by the desire to go completely hormone-free.
Whatever the reason, if youre considering switching birth control methods, its worth having a frank discussion with your doctor about your contraceptive options to find the best method for you. In the meantime, check out some of the options you might want to consider:
Does Low Estrogen Affect Fertility
Yes, low estrogen can negatively affect fertility. In fact, a woman’s fertility depends on her estrogen. Let’s take a look at how it happens.
In the beginning of a normal menstrual cycle:
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The pituitary gland releases a hormone that signals the ovaries to start maturing eggs from their ovarian reserve.
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As these eggs mature, they produce estrogen, whose increase will trigger others hormones’ release, mainly luteinizing hormone .
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An LH surge will eventually signal the ovaries to release the egg .
So, any disruption along the way, from pituitary gland malfunction to low ovarian reserve, will directly affect estrogen levels, potentially interrupting the menstrual cycle, halting egg release, and essentially inhibiting a woman’s fertility.
Moreover, estrogen supports the thickening of the uterine lining that is necessary for the implantation of the fertilized egg. So, even if pregnancy does take place, lower estrogen levels might affect the ability of the endometrium to support the egg and increase the risk of miscarriage.
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What Is Birth Control
Birth control comes in many forms. One of the most common is hormonal birth control pills which use various combinations of estrogen, progesterone, or synthetic hormones to prevent pregnancy. You may take the pill every day, with placebo pills during your period receive a shot or utilize some form of implant.
Many women take birth control as a form of family planning and contraceptive. Others take it as a way to manage other health issues, such as uterine fibroids or hormonal imbalance. While some forms of birth control suppress menstrual periods, many regulate it. On many forms of birth control, you will still have your regular menstrual period. Birth control may even make your period more consistent.
It can be stressful to miss your period, especially when youre taking your birth control consistently. There are several reasons why you might miss your period on birth control, including stress, changes in diet or lifestyle, changes in exercise routine, or the long-term effects of using birth control.
If you miss your period, you should consider taking a pregnancy test and following up with your doctor to determine any underlying causes.
How Is The Pill Taken
Most combination pills come in either a 21-day pack or a 28-day pack. One hormone pill is taken each day at about the same time for 21 days. Depending on the pack, the birth control pills are either stopped for 7 days or a pill that contains no hormones is taken for 7 days. During the week that a woman is taking no pills or pills that don’t contain hormones, she has her period. Some women prefer the schedule in which pills are taken every day of the month because it helps keep them in the habit of taking a pill every day.
Also available is a combination pill that reduces the frequency of a woman’s period by supplying a hormone pill for 12 weeks and then inactive pills for 7 days. This reduces the number of periods to one every 3 months instead of one every month.
Another kind of pill that may change the number of monthly periods is the low-dose progesterone pill, sometimes called the mini-pill. This differs from other birth control pills in that it only contains one type of hormone progesterone rather than a combination of estrogen and progesterone. It changes the cervical mucus and the lining of the uterus, and sometimes by affects ovulation. It may be slightly less effective than the combination pills at preventing pregnancy.
The mini-pill is taken every day without a break. A girl who is taking the mini-pill may have no period at all or she may have irregular periods. For the mini-pill to work, it must be taken at the same time every day, without missing any doses.
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Signs Of Estrogen Dominance And How To Fix It
- Estrogen dominance is essentially too much estrogen. Theres no set number that indicates estrogen dominance. Its the amount of estrogen you have relative to your other sex hormones.
- Estrogen is crucial for day-to-day functioning. Without it, you end up with vaginal changes that lead to painful sex and urination, hot flashes, moodiness, wonky periods, brain fog, and more.
- Too much estrogen can wreak absolute havoc on your whole body. It can cause things ranging from fatigue and anxiety to fibroids, endometriosis, abnormal menstruation, and breast cancer.
- Conventional medicine tends to prescribe hormonal birth control to alleviate symptoms of estrogen dominance, which can have a lot of side effects and make the problem worse in the long run.
- There are things you can do that not just alleviate symptoms, but get rid of the problem at its core.
It seems like female problems come in groups. Patients will learn they have fibrocystic breasts, then get treated for endometriosis or fibroids. A woman with a lifetime of heavy periods will end up at the fertility clinic. A man with a more womanly shape up top may find himself with sexual dysfunction down the road.
It all points to estrogen dominance, which is high estrogen levels. Theres no set number that indicates estrogen dominance. Its the amount of estrogen you have relative to your other sex hormones .
How Birth Control Pills Work
The hormones estrogen and progesterone signal your body to produce eggs and prepare for pregnancy.
If a sperm doesnt fertilize the egg, the levels of these hormones fall steeply. In response, your uterus sheds the lining that had built up. This lining is shed during your period.
Birth control pills contain either a combination of synthetic estrogen and synthetic progesterone or synthetic progesterone alone. This manmade version of progesterone is also known as progestin.
Estrogen and progestin work in different ways to prevent pregnancy. Both work to prevent the pituitary gland from producing hormones that trigger ovulation.
Progestin also thickens your cervical mucus, making it harder for sperm to reach any released eggs. Progestin thins the uterine lining as well. This makes it harder for an egg to implant there if the sperm fertilizes it.
Common brands of low-dose birth control pills include:
Lo Loestrin Fe is actually considered an ultra-low-dose pill, as it only contains 10 mcg of estrogen.
There are multiple benefits of taking a low-dose combination pill:
- Your periods are likely to be more regular.
- Your periods may be lighter.
- Any menstrual cramping you have may be less severe.
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Reasons To Stay Clear Of Low
Alas, there are downsides to low-dose birth control, too. The biggest one is that you must take it every day for it to effectively prevent pregnancy. Theres no wiggle room on this one.
Other downsides include:
- Some people have side effects like decreased libido, headaches, bloating, nausea, or breast tenderness. The good news is these may lessen over time.
- All birth control pills come with a risk of heart attack, blood clots, or strokes. People who smoke or have certain medical conditions are more likely to have these side effects.
- The minipill can cause spotting .
Additionally, certain medications decrease the effectiveness and make you vulnerable to an unwanted pregnancy. These include:
If you take any of these above medications, your healthcare provider might suggest another way for you to prevent pregnancy.
You can take your low-dose birth control in different dosages. There are two types of dosing: conventional and continuous/extended cycle.
Spot On Period Tracker
Spot On is a period and birth control tracking mobile app available for Android and iOS phones that can help you stay on top of your birth control method and track your cycle. The app provides customized appointment reminders, and puts birth control and sexual health resources from the experts at Planned Parenthood at your fingertips.
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Some Of The More Severe Side Effects/concerns Of Lolo Are:
- liver disease
- serious vascular issues
- Women who smoke and are over the age of 35 should not take Lolo
Birth control pills are one of the top contraceptive options in Canada. Lolos lower dose of estrogen helps minimize side effects while remaining an extremely effective method of birth control. If you are discussing birth control options with your doctor or pharmacist, be sure to speak to your doctor about Lolo. Lolo is an excellent choice for those looking for an oral contraceptive.
When used as prescribed, the birth control pills pregnancy rate is less than 1%-4%, which means only one to four females on this pill may get pregnant out of every 100 users.
As per customers reviews, the majority of Lolo pills users do not face any adverse effects. Even females who do face, have minor side-effects such as headaches, nausea, or diarrhea that settles within a few days to weeks.
When To See A Doctor
If you continue to have bleeding between your periods after the first few months, you should see your doctor. Also, if your periods seem more severe or unusual in any way, contact your doctor.
If you experience any of these more severe side effects, contact your doctor right away:
- You have leg pain or your leg feels hot to the touch.
- You have swelling in your leg.
- You have chest pain.
- You have unexplained fever or chills.
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How To Get Pregnant With Low Estrogen
The best approach to getting pregnant with low estrogen is by tackling the underlying root, hormonal imbalance.
There are a number of ways to increase estrogen levels, which might consist of safe and natural options, like eating a nutritious fertility diet, focusing on moderate exercise while trying to conceive, maintaining a fertility chart, or implementing healthier habits, with the help of herbal fertility supplements.
Two of the most effective types of herbal supplements include the following:
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Phytoestrogenic supplements, like red clover or ginkgo, which can be used short-term to improve hormonal equilibrium
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Hormone-balancing supplements, like Macafem Conceiving, which can safely be used long-term to stimulate the body’s endocrine system for proper hormone production, healthy menstruation, and optimal ovulation, all of which are key to higher chances of pregnancy.
In the case of more severe hormonal imbalance, various conventional infertility treatments, like medications or surgery, might be necessary.
Does Missing A Withdrawal Bleed On A Pill
If youve been taking your pills according to the instructions, the pills will be 99.7 percent effective, even if you didnt experience any withdrawal bleeding. The efficacy of the pill depends on you taking the pill at approximately the same time every day.
However, its important to remember that no birth control method is 100-percent effective. If youve missed a withdrawal bleed on birth control and want to be sure, you can always take a pregnancy test.
If youve missed three non-placebo pills or more, your chances of ovulating will increase. If you dont experience any bleeding for a few days after missing the pills, take a pregnancy test. Its also a good idea to take a pregnancy test if you miss two periods in a row while on birth control.
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Questions To Ask Your Doctor
- How can I know which birth control pill is best for me?
- If I take progestin-only birth control pills, am I less likely to gain weight as a side effect?
- Is one birth control pill more effective than another at preventing pregnancy?
- Does one birth control pill have fewer side effects than another?
- Can I use birth control pills to skip having a period altogether?
Why Use Birth Control With Estrogen
So, if estrogen causes all of these symptoms, why consider anything but the minipill? Combination pills those which contain estrogen and progestin are more effective at preventing pregnancy than the minipill. If your concern is efficacy, but you would like to minimize the side effects of estrogen, the best compromise is to try a low dose, or low estrogen, combination birth control pill.
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When Should Women Not Take Birth Control Pills For Perimenopause
While hormonal birth control can be extremely beneficial, it can increase the risk of blood clots in some individuals with a uterus. More specifically, it is recommended that those with a history of blood disorders, heart disease, and/or cancer stop taking hormonal contraceptives as they enter their late forties. This also applies to individuals who smoke.
Instead of using high-dose hormonal birth control to alleviate the symptoms of perimenopause, individuals with a uterus can try hormone therapies or low-dose birth control pills. With that said, there are pros and cons to these methods, so individuals should consult a doctor in order to determine the best path for their lifestyle.