The right to choose when to bear a child is pivotal for women's empowerment. Having the power to determine that enables women to uphold their reproductive rights and achieve overall wellbeing. Contraception lets them take charge of their futures, careers, and personal growth. As they grow and gain financial independence, it further reinforces their autonomy in making informed decisions about their reproductive health.

However, contraception methods have their limitations. For instance, hormonal contraception is highly effective but causes hormonal imbalance, side effects and long-term health implications. So, women have to make an informed health choice when choosing the contraception. One way to counter these problems is selecting a non-hormonal contraception method.

This article discusses the importance of non-hormonal contraception methods like Saheli in maintaining hormonal balance.

Hormonal Contraception

To understand the importance of non-hormonal contraception in maintaining hormonal balance, it is indispensable to comprehend how hormonal contraception methods such as Combined Contraceptive Pills, progestin-only pills, hormonal Intrauterine Devices (IUD), hormonal implants, progestin injections, patches and vaginal rings impact hormonal balance in the first place.

The two main types of hormones found in hormonal contraceptives are oestrogen and progestin. These contraceptives prevent pregnancy by manipulating the hormone levels to alter the natural menstrual cycle to prevent ovulation, thicken cervical mucous to prevent sperm from reaching the ovum, and thin the endometrial wall (uterine lining) to make it less suitable for a fertilised egg to implant.

While these hormonal methods are highly effective, they come with side effects, long-term health implications, and loss of hormonal balance in menstruating women.

The Importance of a Good Hormonal Balance

Hormones regulate many bodily processes and functions, including the menstrual cycle. Therefore, achieving a good hormonal balance is crucial for the overall health and wellbeing of menstruating women. Hormonal balance has an impact on women in the following ways.

1. Physical Health

• Oestrogen supports bone density, reducing the risk of osteoporosis.
• When progesterone levels are right, there is no insulin resistance, and metabolism and body weight are under control.
• Good hormonal balance helps maintain skin and hair health, preventing acne and hair thinning.
• Proper hormone levels help maintain energy levels, preventing fatigue and promoting daily vitality.
• Hormonal balance also reduces the risk of chronic illnesses, such as diabetes, heart disease and certain types of cancers.
• It helps prevent and manage physical symptoms of premenstrual syndrome (PMS), including changes in appetite, weight gain, abdominal pain, back pain, headache, swelling and tenderness of the breasts, nausea, constipation, etc.

2. Mental Health

• Oestrogen and progesterone regulate mood and emotional stability.
• Hormonal balance helps prevent mood swings, anxiety, and depression.
• It prevents and helps manage the mental health impact of PMS, including anxiety, irritability, anger, fatigue, restlessness, mood swings, etc.
• Hormonal balance enhances cognitive function and prevents brain fog.

3. Reproductive Health

• Hormonal balance leads to regular menstrual cycles, which are key indicators of good reproductive health.
• Maintaining oestrogen and progesterone levels regulates the menstrual cycle and ensures ovulation.
• Maintaining the balance of the reproductive hormones enhances fertility.
• Hormonal balance keeps conditions like polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and difficulties with fertility at bay.

The Trade-off Between Effectiveness and Long-Term Wellbeing

So, the most critical question is whether women should endure the loss of hormonal balance, side effects and increased health risks caused by hormonal contraceptives while pursuing reproductive freedom and financial independence.

Not necessarily; this is where non-hormonal contraception for women comes into play.

Non-Hormonal Contraception

Non-hormonal contraception methods, such as Copper Intrauterine Devices (IUDs), spermicides, Saheli, barrier methods, including condoms, diaphragm, cervical caps, etc., sterilisation, and fertility awareness methods all work in different ways to prevent pregnancy. None of these non-hormonal contraception methods impact the hormonal balance and cause any side effects or health risks associated with hormonal contraception. However, each of these methods has its pros and cons.

For instance, copper IUDs are highly effective. However, they must be inserted by a healthcare professional, and in rare cases, they can cause perforation in the uterus. Spermicides, barrier methods, and fertility awareness methods have vastly varying degrees of effectiveness, and sterilisation is not reversible.

So, it is a question of which method ensures hormonal balance while striking the perfect balance among convenience, ease of use, effectiveness, cost, and effects on health. Saheli stands out as a distinctive option in all these aspects.

Saheli: A Non-Hormonal Contraception Method for Natural Hormonal Balance

Saheli is the world's only non-steroidal oral contraceptive pill that is completely free from all the side effects. It has been a highly effective non-hormonal contraceptive, with findings from decades of research to prove its merit. It has been approved by the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI). It has also been effectively used in the National Family Welfare Programme of India since 1995.

Trusted by millions of women in India for planning family and child spacing, Saheli helps maintain hormonal balance in the following ways:

• Unlike hormonal contraceptives, Saheli does not manipulate the hormone levels to achieve contraception. It achieves contraception by thinning the uterine wall, creating unsuitable conditions for implantation, and preventing nidation.
• Unlike hormonal pills and implants that release hormones into the bloodstream, disturbing the hormonal balance and creating an impact on the overall health throughout the body, Saheli acts in a localised manner.
• Saheli's localised action is mildly anti-oestrogenic in a few organs like the uterus while being a potent oestrogenic agent in a few other organs.
• As a result, Saheli does not disrupt the menstrual cycle or cause long-term menstrual irregularities.
• This prevents any side effects and long-term health implications caused by loss of hormonal balance.
• Saheli ensures good hormonal balance and promotes menstrual health, breast health, lipid profile and bone density.

Hormonal Balance: The Key to A Healthy Life

Hormonal balance is fundamental to the wellbeing of menstruating women, impacting their physical, mental, and reproductive health. By helping women maintain hormonal balance, Saheli improves their quality of life and long-term wellness.

FAQs

1. Does non-hormonal birth control affect your hormones?

Non-hormonal contraception is a type of contraception that does not work by manipulating hormone levels to achieve contraception. So, they do not affect the hormonal balance.

2. What contraception method doesn't cause hormonal imbalance?

There are many non-hormonal contraception methods that don’t cause hormonal imbalance. Barrier methods like condoms, non-hormonal IUDs and Saheli, the world’s only non-steroidal oral contraceptive pill, don’t affect hormonal balance.

3. Who should avoid hormonal contraceptive pills?

Those who suffer from serious illnesses like heart disease, stroke, and breast cancer, and those who have higher risk of blood clots should avoid hormonal pills. Breastfeeding women should avoid combination pills that contain oestrogen.

4. What are the symptoms of hormone imbalance?

Symptoms of hormonal imbalance include:

• Irregular periods
• Heavy or light periods
• Weight gain or difficulty losing weight
• Fatigue
• Acne or oily skin
• Hair thinning or excessive hair growth
• Mood swings
• Anxiety or depression
• Difficulty concentrating (brain fog)
• Low libido
• Night sweats or hot flashes
• Sleep disturbances (insomnia)
• Headaches or migraines
• Breast tenderness
• Bloating