The Fact Check: Contraceptive Edition

Submitted by Ivory Romeril

Oki, and welcome to the Myth vs. Reality Sexual Health Fact Check Newsletter!

We are a group of third-year Bachelor of Nursing students at The University of Lethbridge working with the University Health Centre. Our goal is to spread awareness and destigmatize discussions around sexual health and contraceptive use.

In this newsletter, we will discuss four common myths about contraceptives and provide evidence-based information to debunk them.

COMMON CONTRACEPTIVE MYTH #1: “Birth control protects you from Sexually Transmitted Infections [STIs].“

Fact & why it matters:
While hormonal birth control methods are used to prevent pregnancy, they do not protect against STIs.

Evidence:
STIs are infections spread by sexual contact. Exposure to STIs is more likely if you have more than one sexual partner and/or if you don’t use a barrier device. If you are diagnosed with an STI, it needs to be treated. Non-hormonal barrier methods, such as condoms, vaginal condoms, or dental dams (barrier methods stop sperm and body fluids from passing between partners), if used correctly, can prevent the spread of STIs.

How can you protect yourself from Sexually Transmitted Infections?

Talking to your partner about using barrier methods of contraceptives and discussing each other’s history of STIs
Learning how to use protection correctly
Getting tested regularly for STIs, even if you don’t have any symptoms
Getting immunized against hepatitis A, hepatitis B, and Human Papillomavirus [HPV]
Regularly using barrier methods of protection, such as condoms, vaginal condoms, and dental dams

For more information:
https://myhealth.alberta.ca/Health/pages/conditions.aspx?hwid=tw9513

COMMON CONTRACEPTIVE MYTH #2: “Birth control causes infertility.“

Fact & why it matters:
Hormonal birth control is an effective method for preventing unwanted pregnancies, and it does not affect fertility or negatively impact your future ability to get pregnant.

Evidence:
Infertility means that you have been trying to get pregnant for a year but have not conceived. Infertility can be caused by Polycystic Ovary Syndrome [PCOS], uterine fibroids, endometriosis, low sperm count, other health issues, and unexplained infertility. Birth control can mask other health problems that affect fertility, like irregular periods, PCOS, or endometriosis. There is no direct link between birth control and infertility. For some, it may take up to a year for your menstrual cycle to return to normal, but for others, it can happen within a few months.

For more information:
https://health.clevelandclinic.org/can-birth-control-make-you-infertile

COMMON CONTRACEPTIVE MYTH #3: “You can’t get pregnant the first time you have sex.“

Fact & why it matters:
Pregnancy is a risk for any unprotected heterosexual vaginal sex. Other sexual practices, such as oral sex or anal sex, however, will not cause pregnancy.

Evidence:
Pregnancy occurs when an egg from a biological female meets with the sperm from a biological male to create an embryo. That embryo, assuming no intervention occurs (intentional or otherwise), will then grow and develop into a baby. For information on healthy pregnancy and how to maintain health for yourself and your baby, see Your Guide to a Healthy Pregnancy – Canada.ca. Abstinence from heterosexual vaginal sex is the only guaranteed way to prevent pregnancy, but taking measures of birth control, such as condom use, oral contraceptives (birth control pills), and various implants of hormonal or non-hormonal nature, can reduce this risk. Planned Parenthood talks about different kinds of birth control and their effectiveness. You can find more information through this link: Birth Control Methods & Options | Types of Birth Control. Campus Collective and the University Health Center both offer pregnancy testing that requires only a urine sample.

For more information:
https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/health-promotion/healthy-pregnancy/healthy-pregnancy-guide.html
https://www.plannedparenthood.org/learn/birth-control

Remember: Pregnancy is possible the first time you have unprotected vaginal sex. Taking proactive steps with contraception and regular health check-ins can help you feel confident and informed.

COMMON CONTRACEPTIVE MYTH #4: “All birth control methods affect your hormones.“

Fact & why it matters:
Not all birth control methods will affect your hormones; there are methods of birth control that have no hormonal effect.

Evidence:
There are safe and effective non-hormonal birth control methods that create a barrier between sperm and the egg, and other methods that change the chemistry of the reproductive tract to prevent pregnancy. All that is needed to prevent pregnancy is to keep sperm from meeting the egg; there are many ways to do this without using hormonal interventions. Natural methods of birth control do not use medicine or devices to prevent pregnancy, but rather focus on behaviours or making observations about the body.

There are a variety of non-hormonal birth control methods, including internal/external condoms, diaphragms, vaginal spermicides, and copper IUDs. Natural birth control methods include abstinence, fertility awareness-based methods, and withdrawal (pull-out). There are also permanent birth control methods that include tubal ligation and vasectomy.

Thank you for joining us on this myth-busting journey! If you are looking for more information or have any questions, please contact the University Health Centre.

For more information:
https://myhealth.alberta.ca/HealthTopics/sexual-reproductive-health/Pages/Birth-Control.aspx