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For sexually active young women and school aged girls
myth: the pill will fix my period pain
The pill is effective at reducing pregnancy and stopping your period if necessary. The pill does not FIX your period. It completely changes your hormones and biological rhythms. You may see a period but it's not a real menstrual cycle.
myth: i have low iron so i have to take the pill
Being anemic may make you have heavier or even lighter periods. Having a heavy period does not cause anemia. Diet and lifestyle need to be considered and supplementation may be recommended but rarely does the pill restore iron levels. There are also several common genetic anomalies like hereditary anaemia & hemeochromoatosis that can cause low iron levels that have little to do with your periods. Taking the pill can mask these issues.
myth: the pill will help my acne
Not in isolation. To improve your skin you have to address all areas if your lifestyle and diet. If you take the pill and continue to eat foods that are not right for you there won't be any improvement in your skin.
myth: im protected fom other diseases when on the pill
REMEMBER: the pill/mirena/iud do NOT protect you from sexually transmitted diseases! If you choose to avoid pregnancy using natural methods that won't interfere with your biological rhythms and if you are still a teenager or not in a committed relationship your best protection is a condom (on the penis obviously). But even same sex relationships can transmit STD's so know and trust your sexual partner.
For more information on Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STD's):
TRUE - Relationships & Reproductive Health
what else is there besides the pill & mirena/iud?
You have many more CHOICES! EDUCATE YOUR SELF. Due to social and ethical & constraints you won't learn all options of birth control in school or from your parents. Open a dialogue with a doctor who has a special interest in family planning (even if you don't plan on having a family for quite some time!). Family planning doctors undertake extra training to offer advice on the full scope of contraception and natural fertility methods.
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Choosing the right hormonal contraception for teens who are young & sexually active is important. Natural methods require training so don't attempt them on your own if you are a senior student and sexually active... school first, family later! For help choosing the best pharmaceutical based contraception for YOU and for help in an emergency see:
A trusted General Practitioner
TRUE - Relationships & Reproductive Health
periods and technology
There are loads of tools on the APP market that claim to help you track your periods. Be cautious with what personal information you provide and know that some APPs are allegedly funded by anti-abortion groups and non-secular religious groups. While these groups may provide valuable tools and information it's best to investigate how your information is stored and how "free" APPs are funded and if your values align. You don't always own the data in APPS and as we update our devices regularly continuity of records is often lost; And it's the historical data that is the most valuable asset for your reproductive life.
I advocate for paper based tracking methods to reduce bias, maintain personal security and continuity of record keeping. It's also a beautifully creative and meditative exercise.
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