Are You Considering Hormonal Birth

Control?

Internet resource guide for young

women curious about different
contraceptive methods

Elizabeth Kim
Dr. Weeber
ENGL 202C

Why Read This Resource Guide?

The female body is composed of many complex processes, especially if you are talking about the
reproductive system. As a young woman, your body is experiencing chemical changes such as
hormonal imbalance, physical development, and new emotional experiences that can all be very
confusing and overwhelming. At this point you may have figured out Mother Natures monthly
gift of menstruation is not the most pleasant of times, but womanhood is much more than
worrying about when your period will interfere with everyday life next.
Womens health is continuously improving and developing as it receives more attention like it
should. Because of this, accurate information regarding your health is often very difficult to find.
To help you out, this resource guide provides you with information regarding the menstrual cycle
and how female contraceptives, otherwise known as birth control, can benefit you. Birth control
often has a negative reputation for the assumption that the individual starting birth control wishes
to become sexually active, but what most people do not realize is that there are many other
purposes that go unnoticed such as treating severe cramps, irregular cycles, and acne. All of the
information in this guide about menstrual cycles and birth control is not only beneficial to you, but
also educates the public and amends any misconceptions people have about womens health.
In order to navigate the resources to understand what birth control is all about, this guide is
organized by information concerning:

The Menstrual Cycle

Introduces a wide spectrum of symptoms that may describe your menstrual cycle and help
you determine whether or not your cycle is normal or abnormal.
Contraceptives: What is Birth Control?
Explains how hormonal birth control came to be what it is today, different uses, and how it
affects the menstrual cycle.
Possible Side Effects
Addresses any safety concerns you may experience while on hormonal birth control.
Different Methods
Describes various types of birth control methods and products available on the market
today.
Available Services
Consist of help services and Frequently Asked Questions source that you may want to seek
upon finishing this guide.

It is important to note that this is not a substitute for visiting your healthcare provider. You should
always take care of your body and take the time to learn what is normal for you because everyones
body is unique, but seek a physician to receive proper examinations and recommendations for any
concerns you have.

TIP: Links to further readings for each abstract can be found by clicking on the image
corresponding to it.

Table of Contents
The Menstrual Cycle

The Normal Cycle

The Abnormal Cycle

Contraceptives: What is Birth Control?

History

Purpose and Use

Effect on Menstrual Cycle

Possible Side Effects

Different Methods

Available Services

The Menstrual Cycle

Birth control directly affects the biological processes involved in the menstrual cycle. Specifically,
ovulation is inhibited preventing the development of the egg and ultimately pregnancy. To better
understand the mechanism of how birth control affects your body, continue to read this section
and explore the resources available.

The Normal Cycle

Understanding Your Menstrual Cycle Fact Sheet. (2015)
If you are not familiar with how the menstrual cycle works,
reading this fact sheet will provide more information on what
happens to your body every month. You will be able to learn
about the average length of each phase involved in the menstrual cycle, the changes your body may
experience throughout the distinct phases, and extra information concerning pregnancy and being
sexually active. This information is necessary for understanding how birth control is directly
involved in preventing ovulation from occurring. Key hormones involved in ovulation, like folliclestimulating and luteinizing hormones, are explained in great detail, which is crucial to familiarize
yourself with if you wish to understand how female contraceptives work. Some information about
birth control is also mentioned but only a brief overview.
Please note that all bodies are unique; therefore, this website may not portray an accurate
representation of what your menstrual cycle is like.

The Abnormal Cycle

Aliza, Dr.. What Causes Irregular Periods?
Dr. Aliza wrote an advice column for the U Kotex Period
Projects to promote education about your menstrual cycle and
the cause and effect of irregular cycles. This article describes
what occurs during an average menstrual cycle and possible
cases and explanations for irregularities such as missed menstruation, inconsistent menstruation
timing, and most importantly, pregnancy. The website also provide other resources for anyone
who wants to learn more about their U Kotex sanitary products, The Period Projects initiative to
help homeless women across the country, a period tracker, and more advice columns for questions
other readers have asked that you may want to know the answer to as well. Sometimes it is difficult
to determine whether or not you need to seek a doctor for abnormalities in your cycle, but this
resource can help you determine whether or not your menstrual cycle is something to be
concerned about by comparing it to frequently observed symptoms.

This is not a medical advice resource. If you read this article and believe you are experiencing
similar symptoms for an irregular cycle please contact your healthcare provider for a proper
diagnosis.

Contraceptives: What is Birth Control?

The following section consists of information such as the history of birth control technology and
regulation, possible uses for hormonal birth control, and affects of birth control on the menstrual
cycle. If you are interested in learning more about birth control, this section is for you.

History
Thompson, K. M.J. (2013, December 13). A Brief History
of Birth Control in the U.S.
Thompson describes the history and evolution of birth
control throughout the years for an organization called
Our Bodies, Ourselves to promote womens health around the world. This information not only
describes the advancement in technology for developing efficient forms of birth control, but also
the political regulations involving the accessibility of these products. Womens health is still strictly
regulated when it comes to abortions, insurance coverage for prescriptions, and availability of
healthcare for all social classes, and because of this many people forget about the progress that we
have made. Although this organizations website provides an incredible amount of other resources
concerning birth control, health, and awareness, the specific section regarding the history of birth
control in this country gives a sense of motivation to continue research and fund programs that
promote womens health. The organization Our Bodies, Ourselves strives to educate the public to
encourage everyone to continue to take action and represent the voice of women everywhere.
I encourage you to explore the rest of the website if you wish to contribute to this movement or
learn more about their mission. Visit ourbodiesourselves.org for more information.

Purpose and Use

Medical Uses of the Birth Control Pill.
The Center for Young Womens Health provides a resource for anyone
interested in all information pertaining to your health such as links to General
Health, Sexual Health, Gynecology, Medical Conditions, Nutrition and Fitness,
and Emotional Health. The most important aspect of this website is the list of
many reasons why women are prescribed birth control, such as treating irregular menstrual cycles,
acne, and severe menstrual cramps. This website also explains common side effects, risks,
instructions if you forget to take one of your birth control pills, changes in menstruation, and use
of birth control for the sole purpose of preventing pregnancy. Awareness for possible uses for
hormonal birth control shows how complex the female body is and every body is treated
differently. Going on birth control often has a bad reputation because most people are not aware
of the many benefits that these prescriptions offer, but through education of the various health
benefits it may alleviate stigma from the public.
You should not feel obligated to go on birth control, but it is important to realize that women have
many different circumstances that need hormonal birth control to be treated and there is no reason
to feel ashamed if you decide to get a prescription.

Effect on Menstrual Cycle

Rivera, Roberto, Irene Yacobson, and David Grimes. "The mechanism of
action of hormonal contraceptives and intrauterine contraceptive devices."
American journal of obstetrics and gynecology 181.5 (1999): 1263-1269.
Rivera, Yacobson, and Grimes wrote an article concerning the effects that
hormonal birth control has on the female body. The scope of this article covers
the effects of combined oral contraception, emergency contraception, and
intrauterine devices. You want to learn the basic mechanism behind hormonal
birth control, so limit your reading to the Combined oral contraceptives
section. Understanding how other birth control methods work is not essential to understanding the
general process for preventing ovulation unless you are curious, feel free to read ahead. The
Combined oral contraceptives section describes ovarian function and which hormones and
organs are involved to prevent ovulation, chemistry change of cervical mucus, and endometrium
response to hormonal birth control. Women will often be prescribed birth control but never given
an explanation for how the pills will affect their body. Learning the biological processes involved in
hormonal contraception will provide you with a better appreciation for the magical pill that
prevents ovulation and clear up any misconceptions about hormonal birth controls function.

Possible Side Effects

For most medications, pharmaceutical companies need to convince physicians and the public to
buy their products. Because of this, the side effects and risks for prescriptions, such as hormonal
birth control, is not stressed as much and is usually mentioned in fine print. Continue to read this
section if you wish to learn about possible risks you should be aware of before considering birth
control.
Anderson, L. (Ed.). (2013, February 7). What are the
benefits compared to the risks of taking birth control?
The information in this article provides both benefits and
risks related to taking birth control pills. The beginning of the article lists a variety of advantages
for taking birth control and has links for further reading if you wish to learn more about a specific
term that you may not be familiar with. The article then describes disadvantages, warnings before
use, and possible side effects. It is important to be aware of the negative impacts that birth control
may have on your body because all women are created unique and cannot be so sure that a product
will work for you the same way it works for your friend. With that being said, not all women
experience the same symptoms and may not have symptoms at all. This information is not to scare
you in any way but to be mindful of your body and take care of it because no one should
unintentionally harm themselves due to ignorance. If you have any specific concerns about risks
and would like to make sure your family history is something to worry about, please talk to your
healthcare provider.

Different Methods
There are several different kinds of birth control products available for you to choose from and it
can be quite overwhelming. This section covers all methods with descriptions in one place to help
you learn about each one without getting lost on the Internet.
Birth Control Guide [Table; PDF]. (2011). FDA Office of
Women's Health.
This resource provides information for all of the birth
control products that have been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) that are
available to the public today. It includes a wide range of methods, from physical barriers to
hormonal contraception and emergency contraception. Each type of birth control is given a
description of what it is, how it works, how to obtain it, effectiveness in preventing pregnancy,
common risks, and whether or not it can prevent sexually transmitted diseases. Some methods
available for males are listed as well. At the end of the document, a chart compiled with all of the
birth control methods are organized in a hierarchy of effectiveness with a debrief of chance of
pregnancy, instructions for use, and common risks. The variation of birth control methods tailor to
women who may not be able to use a certain type whether it involve allergens or discomfort after
use. This information can help you understand that there are many options available for you and
clear up any confusion about various birth control methods.
Regardless of what method you want to use, always consult with your doctor to find out what is
best for you.

Available Services
If after reading this resource guide and you still have questions or concerns and would like to seek
quick answers, the following section will direct you to free services that may help you find what
you are looking for.
Info for Teens. (2016).
Planned Parenthood is a reliable health care provider for
sexual and reproductive health and support women all over
the country. This website consists of many resources for
women of all ages, but for young teens like you the most beneficial aspect of this source is the
Info for Teens section. There is information about your body such as puberty, sex, and male and
female anatomy. An Ask the Experts tab is available for you to read the answers that
professionals have answered previously to curious teens such as yourself. You can also ask
questions yourself and talk to a representative by going to the Contact Us feature, especially if
you do not feel comfortable talking about your health to your parents or local doctor. It is
important to feel like you have someone to talk to about personal topics especially if your parents
are not the type to discuss this matter with you. Growing up and becoming a young adult can be a
scary journey, but there are always people around to help you through the way.