You no longer know which contraception to choose, or are you hesitant to stop taking the pill? In the show “It’s going to be much better” on RTL, Dr Jimmy Mohamed, doctor and presenter, recalls a useful idea: there is no ideal contraception for everyone.
Pill: don’t demonize it, don’t stop it alone
Dr Jimmy Mohamed starts from an observation: for a long time, contraception has often rhymed with the pill. Today, a form of distrust has set in, particularly around hormones. He cites possible side effects such as reported weight changes, changes in libido or mood disorders.
Nuance is essential. Health Insurance reminds that hormonal contraception does not all have the same profile. Estrogen-progestin pills can increase the risk of phlebitis or pulmonary embolism, especially depending on age, smoking, certain history or certain migraines. The benefit-risk ratio therefore depends on the type of pill and the profile of the person..
The doctor also emphasizes a practical point: a well-tolerated pill should not become suspect overnight. He formulates his advice as follows:
“If a person takes the pill and is happy with it and tolerates it, there is no reason to stop.”
He also recalls that the pill can sometimes be discussed for other indications, such as hormonal acne, and that it is associated with a reduced risk of endometrial and ovarian cancers. This does not mean that it should be taken for this reason alone, but that the pill is not just about its risks.
Concerning the alert on a “benign brain tumor”, the wording needs to be precise. It does not concern all pills: EPI-PHARE has studied the risk of intracranial meningioma with certain progestogen contraceptives, with a very weak signal for desogestrel 75 µg during prolonged use. If you have any questions about your contraception, the good reflex is to talk to a doctor or midwife, always deciding on your own.
IUD, implant, patch, condom: very different constraints
For people who do not want or no longer want the pill, Dr. Jimmy Mohamed cites several options. His sentence sums up the approach well: “the best contraception is the one we choose, not the one we impose.”. This is also the meaning of current advice: choose contraception adapted to your health, your lifestyle and your preferences, possibly with the help of a professional. To explore this approach further, True Medical also offers guidelines for choosing contraception adapted to your lifestyle.
The methods mentioned do not involve the same actions or the same duration of action:
- The IUD, or IUD, hormonal or coppercan be offered even to a person who has never had children; depending on the model, it protects for several years. A dedicated point helps to compare hormonal or copper IUD;
- The contraceptive implant is a small stick placed under the skin of the arm; Dr Jimmy Mohamed recalls that he acted for 3 years;
- The hormonal patch change every week for 3 weeks, with one week without a patch;
- The condom keeps a special place: used correctly and systematically, it is the only means cited here which also protects against sexually transmitted infections.
This last point avoids frequent confusion:
contraception and protection against STIs are not the same thing. An IUD, pill, implant or patch can work against an unplanned pregnancy, but do not protect against sexually transmitted infections.
Natural methods and definitive contraception: what to anticipate
The doctor also discusses methods based on calculating the cycle or ovulation. Some people use them and are happy with them, but he finds them difficult to recommend generally. The reason is not a judgment on the users: their effectiveness depends strongly on the regularity of the cycle, learning and conditions of use. In common use, the risk of unplanned pregnancy is higher.
Last option cited: permanent contraception. In women, tubal sterilization aims to prevent the passage of the oocyte into the tubes. In men, vasectomy blocks the ducts that carry sperm. Dr Jimmy Mohamed emphasizes that vasectomy is generally less burdensome than tubal sterilization, without making it an injunction.
Health Insurance specifies the framework for contraceptive sterilization: these procedures are reserved for adults, with no obligation to have already had children, after medical information and a legal reflection period of 4 months. They must be considered definitive. To go further, True Medical also details vasectomy as definitive male contraception.
The choice is therefore prepared in consultation, with a doctor, a midwife or a sexual health center: history, migraines, tobacco, treatments, tolerance, sexuality, desire or not for a future pregnancy are all elements to be put on the table.
Additional sources
META DESCRIPTION: