CuriositiesAPR 1, 2021

Women Are Sharing Horror Stories From Taking Contraceptive Pills On A Viral Twitter Thread

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After 1960, when the contraceptive pill was first approved in the US by the FDA, it was still very controversial and illegal in eight states. Then, five years later, 6.5 million women were taking it daily as it became the most popular form of birth control. Fast forward to today, and many women could hardly imagine their lives without it, as CDC reports that 14% of women in the US aged 15-49 are currently using the pill. But at what cost?

20-year-old student Georgia Shaw from Leicestershire has recently shed light on the potential risks and side effects that come with the pill. In an honest Twitter post, she expressed her horror at the enormous size of the leaflet that came with the Rigevidon pill.

“Started a new pill today and wanted to show men on here what women have to go through so you don’t have to wear a bit of rubber,” Georgia tweeted in a thread that went viral, amassing 23.9k likes. More women joined the thread to share their experiences of taking the pill and the alarming side effects that they had to endure while on it, or after quitting it.

So let’s see the eye-opening thread right below, which will surely make us question how on earth nobody gives a second thought about such a high-risk birth control method.

20-year-old Georgia from Leicestershire has recently shared her horror at the enormous size of the warning leaflet that came with the Rivegidon contraceptive pills

Image credits: georgiaas00

Bored Panda reached out to Georgia, the author of this viral thread that opened up a much-needed discussion on the often overlooked side effects of taking contraceptive pills. Georgia believes that the fact that such a high-risk birth control method is normalized in our society is “down to systemic sexism.”

She added: “women always being the ones who look after the children whilst the man goes out to work, I think it stems from societal ideas of gender roles and has just never changed, even in a time where women in western society have more equality than ever.”

So she penned an honest Twitter post about the risks of the pill that many women found very relatable

Image credits: georgiaas00

When asked about her own experience of using the pill, the thread’s author said that “with Rigevidon, I've had some instances of mood swings, but for the most part, it’s been okay.” Fortunately, she feels fine and her “skin has actually cleared up,” while “the only side effect I’ve fully experienced is craving fatty foods.”

Image credits: georgiaas00

Image credits: georgiaas00

Image credits: georgiaas00

For men whose partner is on hormonal birth control, Georgia would like to ask to “give them time and understanding and just to go the extra mile to make sure they’re feeling okay.”

“It means a lot to us when a man is accommodating and understanding of what we go through. They also should make sure they’re educating themselves on the side effects and risks, looking out for signs of stroke and blood clots in their partners as there’s a relatively high risk of us having one on hormonal birth control.”

The enormous leaflet contained a chilling number of potential side effects that came with using the pill

The thread’s author also said that she’s quite pessimistic about the future of birth control, specifically for men. “I’d love to see a male contraceptive brought to the market, but I doubt it will happen. For me, education is the most promising way and hopefully boys in school can start to be taught about female sex education as well as male sex education and from that, attitudes and understanding will change, as many men in the replies to my tweet had no idea it isn’t just used as a contraceptive.”

Georgia was wondering why it's the women who have to go through all these potential risks without questioning

Image credits: georgiaas00

Image credits: georgiaas00

It’s no secret that many women who have used contraceptive pills or are currently taking them have experienced some sort of unwanted side effects. Of women aged 18 to 49 who choose to use contraceptives, there was a 4.5 per cent drop in those using the pill in 2015 compared to in 2008.

The decrease in the use of contraceptive pills is associated with many women coming forward about their negative experiences that often overshadow the positive ones. But the exact number of women who experience the pill's side effects is still hard to pin down.

The author said the goal of her tweet was to let everyone know about the dangers of taking the pill

Image credits: georgiaas00

Nausea, sore breasts, and irregular bleeding typically occur "in the first three months," usually settling after that time, says Jean Hailes for Women's Health medical director Elizabeth Farrell.

More serious complications occur rarely, but they have been documented. These include an increased risk of blood clotting, a slight increase in breast cancer (1 in 50,000 additional cases), and increased stress on the liver.

If that wasn’t enough, a growing number of cases have suggested that the pill may be linked with mood swings, anxiety, and even depression in women who take the pill, but it still hasn’t been researched thoroughly.

Many women found the tweet very relatable as they shared their own alarmingly negative experiences of taking the pill

Image credits: ellie_kirtley

Image credits: alex_wright7

Image credits: alextomlinson_x

And while it protects from an unwanted pregnancy, no contraceptive pill keeps you safe from STDs, which is, of course, a crucial point to consider when choosing a birth control method that works for you.

It’s also important to mention that although side effects are real, some women never experience any of them, and are very happy with the experience and the benefits of the pill.