A quick message I wanted to share, as I was someone who a little over a year ago was told by my Ob-gyn, that with my hormonal symptoms could be helped by putting me on birth control. I know I am not the only one who has been told this, and so many do go on Birth Control to manage perimenopause/menopausal symptoms. Here are a few facts I wanted to share to help women understand they ARE NOT the same thing.
1️⃣ Birth control is aimed to prevent pregnancy by inhibiting ovulation, whereas hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is designed to supplement declining hormone levels during perimenopause and menopause.
2️⃣ Birth control typically contains a combination of estrogen and progestin to prevent pregnancy, whereas HRT may involve estrogen alone or a combination of estrogen, progesterone and testosterone tailored to each person and their hormone levels.
3️⃣ The doses of hormones in birth control and HRT differ; birth control has lower hormone levels, while HRT is adjusted to address specific hormonal imbalances associated with perimenopause and menopause.
4️⃣ Lastly, the goals of these interventions are distinct – birth control focuses on contraception, while HRT addresses symptoms like hot flashes, mood swings, as well as heart health, brain health and bone density loss that can occur during perimenopause and menopause.
Improving support for women during perimenopause and menopause involves increased awareness, destigmatization of menopausal symptoms, and personalized plans that may include HRT and BHRT, if appropriate. As well as support declining hormone levels with diet, appropriate exercise, stress management, and we can’t forget about healthy digestion and detoxification!