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Ah, birth control—the tiny pill, the tiny device, or the tiny shot that’s supposed to make life simpler. Except… no one really hands you a comprehensive manual when you sign up for it. Sure, they tell you it’s effective (great), convenient (even better), and totally safe (hmm, let’s discuss that), but what about the fine print? You know, the actual effects it has on your body, your mood, and your long-term health?
At Spirit Woman, we teach Cycle-Aligned Living—working with your body, not against it, and understanding natural birth control methods that support your hormonal rhythms rather than disrupt them. Birth control is a hot topic, and we get a lot of questions—how it works, how it doesn’t, and what other options exist.
Whether or not you choose a Cycle-Aligned path, you deserve all the information to make the best choice for your body.
Your body, your choice—but informed choice is everything.
If you’re curious about the full story behind synthetic birth control—the good, the bad, and the hormonal rollercoaster nobody warned you about—you’re in the right place. Buckle up, let’s get informed.
The Truth About Birth Control: What You Need to Know
At Spirit Woman, we teach Cycle-Aligned Living—through our courses and books, how to work with your body, not against it, all while understanding natural birth control methods that support your hormonal rhythms rather than disrupt them. Birth control is a hot topic, and we get a lot of questions—how it works, how it doesn’t, and what other options exist.
Whether or not you choose a Cycle-Aligned path, you deserve all the information to make the best choice for your body.
Your body, your choice—but informed choice is everything.
If you’re curious about the full story behind synthetic birth control—the good, the bad, and the hormonal rollercoaster nobody warned you about—you’re in the right place. Buckle up, let’s get informed.
Your Choice, Your Awareness
How you choose to regulate your body is entirely up to you, and we support your freedom in making the decision that feels right. However, if you choose to use or continue using a medical form of birth control, we believe you should be fully informed about all potential side effects.
With flashy advertising and pharmaceutical backing, many of the risks of synthetic birth control are not widely discussed. These products can impact your body in ways that go beyond preventing pregnancy, and understanding these effects allows you to make the most informed, empowered decision for yourself.
Additionally, hormonal birth control can make tracking your Inner Seasons more challenging, as it artificially adjusts hormone levels, disconnecting you from your body's natural rhythm. While that might not be an issue for some, for those wanting to understand their natural cycles, this is an important factor to consider.
Awareness is power. Since this information isn’t always easy to come by, we’re here to highlight the side effects and lesser-known impacts of synthetic birth control—because your health, your cycle, and your well-being deserve full transparency.
The Hidden Risks of IUDs: What You Need to Know
Toward the end of 2018, the American Academy of Pediatrics officially recommended intrauterine devices (IUDs) as the first line of contraceptive defense against unplanned pregnancies. These small, T-shaped devices, inserted into the uterus, come in two main types: copper IUDs, which create an inflammatory response toxic to sperm, and hormonal IUDs, which release synthetic progesterone to thin the uterine lining and thicken cervical mucus, preventing pregnancy.
At first glance, they seem like a convenient, set-it-and-forget-it solution—but even when functioning as intended, IUDs can have unintended consequences on the body. Hormonal IUDs can disrupt the body's natural progesterone balance, leading to mood swings, weight gain, and even a decrease in libido. Meanwhile, copper IUDs have been linked to increased inflammation, which can contribute to heavier periods, intensified cramping, and, in some cases, worsen conditions like endometriosis and adenomyosis.
Common Yet Overlooked Side Effects
Most people are aware of the mild side effects of IUDs, like increased menstrual bleeding, cramping, and spotting between periods. This occurs as the body adjusts to the foreign object in the uterus, which can take several months. However, what many don’t realize is that these symptoms don’t always go away—for some, they can last for the entire duration of use.
Even more concerning, growing reports and lawsuits are shedding light on serious complications linked to IUDs, including:
Risk of infection in the fallopian tubes, which can lead to long-term reproductive issues
Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), a serious infection that can result in infertility if untreated
IUD embedding into the uterine wall, requiring surgical removal
Perforation of the uterus, which can lead to damage to surrounding organs
Internal bleeding and severe pelvic pain
The Rising Cases & Lawsuits
In recent years, hundreds of lawsuits have been filed against IUD manufacturers, particularly Bayer Pharmaceuticals, the maker of Mirena. These lawsuits allege that manufacturers misled the public by downplaying the risks and failing to adequately warn users about the potential for device migration, perforation, and serious complications.
As more cases emerge, it’s becoming increasingly clear that IUDs may not be the “hassle-free” birth control option they’ve been advertised as. While they work well for some, they aren’t without risk, and many people who have experienced severe side effects wish they had been given the full picture before making their decision.
Understanding the real risks behind IUDs is essential for making an informed choice about your reproductive health. Your body, your choice—but full transparency matters.
By purposefully avoiding to reveal dangerous side effects, such as the risk of perforation of the uterus and/or the device migrating to another location in the body. The lawsuits accuse the company of selling a dangerous product and. They also claim the company used deceptive advertising and hid the risk of complications. Generally people are made aware of the most common side effects which are: increased menstrual bleeding, cramps, and spotting between menstrual periods. However, there are very serious side effects that are much less mentioned which include:
Risk of infection in the fallopian tubes
Risk of pelvic inflammatory disease, which can lead to infertility
Risk of the IUD embedding in the uterine wall
Damage to the uterus and potential damage to other organs
Risk of internal bleeding
The Pill: What You Might Not Have Been Told
Oral contraceptives may seem like a simple, set-it-and-forget-it solution for birth control, but beneath the convenience lies a growing body of research pointing to some pretty unsettling risks. While the pill has been widely used for decades, studies show that the longer a woman takes it, the higher her risk of certain cancers. According to the National Cancer Institute, research has found that:
Women who use oral contraceptives for less than five years have a 10% increased risk of cervical cancer.
That risk jumps to 60% after 5–9 years of use.
After 10 or more years, the risk doubles.
Now, here’s the silver lining: once you stop taking the pill, this increased risk begins to decline over time—which is good news for anyone considering transitioning off of hormonal birth control.
The Side Effects What They Did Tell You About (And The Ones They Didn’t)
Most of us have heard about the common side effects of oral contraceptives—things like spotting, nausea, headaches, weight gain, and mood swings. But what’s often left out of the conversation is the long-term impact birth control can have on your body.
What many don’t realize is that the pill has been linked to:
Liver tumors
Blood clots and increased risk of stroke
Endometriosis and worsening period pain after discontinuation
Changes in menstrual flow—sometimes leading to heavier, more painful cycles post-pill
And that’s just the physical side effects. The emotional and psychological effects are just as real. Many women report experiencing increased mood swings, anxiety, and depression, which, let’s be honest, are already plenty without a daily dose of synthetic hormones adding fuel to the fire.
We don’t know about you, but life is challenging enough without signing up for extra mood swings.
Making the Transition: What to Expect Post-Birth Control
If you’ve decided to transition off hormonal birth control and go the natural route, know this: your body might need some time to recalibrate. After years of synthetic hormone regulation, your cycle may take a little while to find its natural rhythm again.
The good news? There are steps you can take to support your body through this transition. If you’re looking for ways to naturally reset your hormones after stopping birth control, read: Fueling Your Flow: What to Eat for Hormonal Health and check out our guide to syncing with your hormones, where we show you how to align with your menstrual cycle, boosting energy, balance hormones, and optimize your nutrition for a more harmonious, vibrant life.
Empower Your Choices with Knowledge
Look, we get it—navigating birth control options can feel like flipping through an overwhelming, slightly terrifying menu where every choice comes with a side of potential chaos. But the more you understand your body and how it responds to synthetic hormones, the more confidently you can make decisions that actually align with your well-being.
At the end of the day, birth control isn’t one-size-fits-all—and that’s exactly why we encourage a Cycle-Aligned Life, where you sync with your body’s natural rhythms, explore alternative methods of pregnancy prevention, and make empowered choices based on your unique needs.
Whether you stick with birth control, ditch it for good, or are somewhere in between, just know that your body is wildly intelligent—and when you listen to it, it will tell you exactly what it needs.
#EmpoweredChoices #CycleWisdom #HormoneHealth #BodyAwareness #InformedDecisions #TrustYourBody #WomensWellness Resources: 1. Drugwatch.com; Michelle Llamas; Medically reviewed by Dr. John A. Daller, American Board of Surgery
2. Smith JS, Green J, Berrington de Gonzalez A, et al. Cervical cancer and use of hormonal contraceptives: a systematic review. Lancet 2003; 361(9364):1159-1167.
3. International Collaboration of Epidemiological Studies of Cervical Cancer, Appleby P, Beral V, et al. Cervical cancer and hormonal contraceptives: collaborative reanalysis of individual data for 16,573 women with cervical cancer and 35,509 women without cervical cancer from 24 epidemiological studies. Lancet 2007; 370(9599):1609–1621.
4. Roura E, Travier N, Waterboer T, et al. The influence of hormonal factors on the risk of developing cervical cancer and pre-cancer: Results from the EPIC Cohort. PLoS One2016; 11(1):e0147029.
5. Iversen L, Sivasubramaniam S, Lee AJ, Fielding S, Hannaford PC. Lifetime cancer risk and combined oral contraceptives: The Royal College of General Practitioners' Oral Contraception Study. American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology 2017; 216(6):580.e1-580.e9. According to the Pregnancy Health Clinic, having a IUD
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