Words by: Akira Kerr

Whether it’s the pill, the rod, condoms or pulling out, many of us have tried a contraceptive for one reason or another.

Maybe when you were 14-years-old, you were put on Estelle for your pesky hormonal acne and now you’re glowing like the goddess you are! Maybe you hat- ed the rigid structure your life took on when you were on the pill, setting an alarm for 11am everyday for the foreseeable future just to make sure you didn’t forget to take it. So you got an IUD put in instead. Maybe your periods were so unbearably painful that the only thing you could do was try to stop them altogether with the rod. It could also be so that you don’t end up with an unplanned pregnancy or STI. There’s so much trial and error, ups and downs, and prioritising the side effects we can deal with and the ones we can’t. It can be scary — hormones leaking into our bodies without really knowing what they could do, or having a foreign object inside of us that could be rejected at any moment. But today, we are starting to see sexual health becoming a topic of discussion that doesn’t hide in the shadows. Maybe we start talking about which contraceptive we are on, just like the way we discuss our star signs.

The Rod (Contraceptive Implant)

The rod, which in Australia is the Implanon NXT, is a hormonal contraception that comes in the form of a small plastic stick. The rod is implanted just under the skin of the inner upper arm and slowly releases a hormone called progestogen into the body. This hormone prevents the ovaries from releasing an egg every month and thickens the fluid around the cervix, preventing the sperm from reaching the egg. The rod is replaced after at least 3 years. It’s more than 99% effective in preventing pregnancy.

“I enjoyed not having to worry about taking a tablet at the same time everyday and not stressing over if I missed taking a pill. Once the rod was in I didn’t really have to think about it until years later when it needed to get replaced.”

“For the first few months I was like an emotional tornado. All of my emotions were so extreme. If I was happy I was overjoyed, if I was sad I was depressed, if I was upset I was angry and mad. There was no in-between. My emotional shifts became too much.”

“Something that I like about this contraceptive, at least for me, is that I don’t have periods anymore, which at first was concerning. I was like, is this supposed to happen? So I feel like I’m pretty lucky in not having periods any- more. I have to say, it’s pretty amazing.”

“The rod made me unbelievably sad all the time. I think there was a period where I would cry multiple times a day, everyday, for like over 2 weeks. Once I figured out what was causing it, I knew I needed to get it the fuck out.”

IUD (Intrauterine Devices)

The IUD is a small T-shaped device that is inserted into the uterus to prevent pregnancy. There are two types of IUDs you can get in Australia — the non-hormonal copper IUD or the hormonal IUD (Mirena, or its lower dose counterpart, Kyleena). The copper can stay in for up to 10 years, while the hormonal up to 5 years. The non-hormonal IUD works by constantly releasing small amounts of copper into the womb. The hormonal IUD releases progestogen into the uterus. Both types are more than 99% effective in preventing pregnancy.

“This was my last option. I’ve tried them all and I have to be on some sort of hormonal contraceptive because I have adenomyosis. It has had such an effect on my hormones but it has also stopped me from having periods where I would bleed for 3 months straight or just non-stop spotting.”

“The thought of having a little metal T shoved inside me made me sick, but it sounded like a better option than the cramps and low mood that I had been dealing with.”

The Rhythm Method and Pulling Out

For people who ovulate, the rhythm method involves tracking their cycle from the previous month and predicting future ovulation dates. Ovulation is the highly fertile stage during a menstrual cycle, as eggs are released from the ovaries. So, for those following this method, they avoid having sex to lower the chances of getting pregnant. If tracked correctly, sex that won’t result in pregnancy can be practised by avoiding penetrative vaginal sex during ovulation, but everyone’s cycle is different and there are still windows of time before and after ovulation where people can conceive. As such, the rhythm method is one of the least effective forms of contraception in terms of preventing pregnancy.

The pullout method is another means of self-managing contraception. It means withdrawing the penis right before ejaculation so that little to no semen enters the vagina. The pull out method is theoretically 96% effective, however, in reality this is almost impossible to perform consistently, and ignores the existence of pre-cum that can enter the vagina before pulling out. Consequently, the pull out method is not widely recommended.

“I had a really rough experience on the rod and the pill, so I felt like I needed a break from internal contraceptives altogether. Being in a long-term relationship, I didn’t use condoms because he didn’t like how they felt — I know, what a classic — but I also really didn’t like the idea of having a piece of plastic flopping around inside me. I’ll be honest, he is a master at pulling out.”

Condoms

Condoms and internal condoms are the only forms of contraceptives that can reliably prevent contracting an STI. Condoms are a strong rubber pouch that are put on an erect penis (or sex toy) prior to sex. Condoms work by providing a barrier against STIs and preventing ejaculation entering the vagina to avoid pregnancy. Condoms are 98% effective in preventing pregnancy. Don’t be a goose, and use an in date condom that has been kept in a dry cool place.

“My experience with using condoms has been pretty good — my partner has been very accepting, I don’t have to take pills every morning, I don’t feel bloated, and I don’t feel any mental anguish, so it’s definitely been a positive.”

“My most memorable experience with condoms is honestly when the condom breaks and you have to stop. It’s that fear of ‘when did it break? Did it happen before you finished or after you finished?’ and then having to go to the chemist and get the morning after pill.”

The Combined Pill (Oral Hormonal Contraceptive)

The combined pill, better known colloquially as ‘the pill’ is an oral hormonal contraceptive that contains the hormones oestrogen and progestogen. The pill is taken daily, ideally around the same time everyday, and is 99% effective at preventing pregnancy if taken correctly.

Otherwise, allowing for missed pills, it is 93% effective. The pill works by stopping the ovaries from releasing an egg each month, and like the rod, thickens the fluid in the cervix to prevent sperm from reaching the egg. When the sugar pills are taken in the 28 day pack, a period will usually be induced. Otherwise, a period can be skipped by not taking these pills.

“It’s been a very seamless experience for me and I honestly don’t think anything memorable has happened. It integrated into my life really well. So I think I’m really lucky that I don’t have a memorable experience with contraception.”

“I had to switch between 5 different pills because of how they affected me. For example, one pill made me faint every time I had my period. And for another, my period did not stop once I started it. The one I am on now I pay $90 every 3 months just to have it.”

“For the first few days it was fine, but after a few weeks I started to feel side effects in my body and in my mood. I would get headaches and chest pain, although the chest pain didn’t happen that often. One thing I really hated about it was the constant anxiousness I would feel.”

“The only thing I can think of is that maybe it has made me more emotional. But I’ve been on it for so long I don’t even know if that’s a side effect or just me.”

Mini Pill (Progestogen-Only Oral Contraceptive)

The progestogen only pill is different from ‘the pill’ because it doesn’t contain oestrogen. Because of this, users don’t have control of when their period comes. It also should not be taken over 3 hours late. The mini pill works by thickening the fluid in the cervix to stop sperm from entering and reaching the egg. There is also another type of progestogen only pill called the drospirenone progestogen only pill, which stops the ovaries from releasing an egg, and can still be effective if taken up to 24 hours late. Like ‘the pill’, the progestogen only pill is 99% effective if taken consistently and correctly in preventing pregnancy.

“So I was on the rod and I’m taking the minipill [to stop my constant period] and after a while I noticed that
I started lactating. And I find that crazy. Just thinking about how many hormones were already in my body, and I just put more in there, and my body was just like “oh ok I guess we have a baby now?”. Yeah it stopped my period, but at what cost?”

Some things to think about on your contraception journey!

“Take your time and don’t be afraid to ask the professionals every single question that pops into your head.”

“It probably sounds silly but I would suggest knowing your body well beforehand, as it would be a lot easier to understand the side effects because each person is different.”

“Listen to your doctor, I feel like there’s a lot of people who are sharing their own experience, and kind of forcing it on other people. But I think it’s very unique to each person. Listen to your body and trust yourself, if it’s not working, there’s so many other avenues you can explore.”

“If I could say anything to all young women, if you don’t have to go on hormonal contraception, don’t. I feel like we need to know more about what we put into our bodies and what hormones are doing. It really does mess with every aspect of your life, and it’s crazy that that’s not discussed enough.”

Check out the QR Code for this article’s references and to learn more about contraception.

Note: Everyone’s experience of contraception, and choice of method, is individual. This article is solely informative, and not designed to provide medical advice. Always consult your GP before beginning or changing any form of contraception, and use what works best for you.