Methods like hormonal IUDs and the vaginal ring‍

• These are designed to release hormones directly to the uterus or cervix, with the goal of staying “local.”
• Ovulation may or may not be suppressed, depending on the method and you as a human!
• They’re often described as “low impact” but there’s some grey area to that.

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Methods like the combined pill, injection and implant

• Hormones are delivered into your bloodstream and circulate throughout your entire body.
• That means they can influence your brain, breasts, skin, bones, libido, mood, appetite…pretty much everything. 
• Ovulation is usually fully suppressed.
• There’s a strong potential for both physical and psychological effects, because these hormones touch every system.

Even local methods like the hormonal IUD aren’t truly local. A portion of those hormones still enter your bloodstream. And once they’re in? They’re catching an Uber straight to your central nervous system, aka your brain, which is basically a hormone sponge.

Your brain has estrogen and progesterone receptors scattered throughout:

• Amygdala (emotion)
• Hippocampus (memory)
• Prefrontal cortex (decision-making, motivation)
• Hypothalamus (hormone regulation)
• Brainstem (autonomic nervous system)
  
  

That’s a lot of big words but in other words, your brain is not just along for the ride, it’s driving the car.

If you’ve ever said:

• “I don’t feel like myself on birth control.”
• “The IUD was meant to be low-impact, but I still felt off.”
• “It helped my skin but wrecked my libido.”
• “I feel calm, but numb.”

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You’re not imagining it. You’re experiencing the full-body, full-mind reality of synthetic hormones - even from methods that are “local”.

No matter how the hormones are absorbed, through your uterus, your skin, your gut, or a tiny implant in your arm, synthetic hormones affect all of you. That doesn’t make them bad. It just makes them pretty powerful.

Knowing how they work gives you the info you need to figure out what’s right for you!

The goal is to take your pill around the same time every 24 hours (or within the 3-hour window for traditional mini pills).

If you are travelling between different time zones:

• Set a daily alarm in your phone’s new local time zone to remind you
• Try sticking to a time that works wherever you are (e.g. always taking it at 8am local time)
• If you’re still unsure, bring it up with your doctor before the big trip. They can help you plan based on your travel and your specific pill type.

Oh you poor thing! We’re virtually giving you a hug right now.

If you vomit within 2 hours of taking your pill, it might not have been absorbed. Take another pill as soon as you can.

If you have severe diarrhoea lasting more than 24 hours, absorption may be affected too.

In both cases, treat it like a missed pill:

• If you're on a traditional mini pill, use backup contraception (like condoms) for the next 48-72 hours.
• If you're on a drospirenone-only mini pill (like Slinda), use backup for the next 7 days.

Yes 1000%. Everyone’s body responds differently to different hormone types and doses.

If you're not feeling like yourself, experiencing annoying side effects, or the bleeding pattern isn't settling after 2-3 months, it’s completely okay to switch. There’s no gold-standard pill, just the one that works best for you. Chat with your GP about trying a different brand or a different method entirely.

Yes, in Australia, you can get the Mini Pill if you’re under 18, no parent permission slip required.

As long as the doctor thinks you understand how it works and can make an informed decision (this is called being “Gillick competent,” which sounds like a wizarding title but is actually a legal thing), you’re good to go.

Your appointment is confidential, which means they won’t tell your parents unless there’s a serious concern for your safety.

FYI, you’ve got every right to access contraception in a safe, respectful, no-drama space.