Birth Control Deep Dive: How it Changes Your Brain, Its Link to Autoimmune Conditions, and Why We Need Better Options with Sarah Hill Ph.D

Informed Consent

The issue of informed consent in birth control prescriptions is a significant concern. Dhru Purohit highlights that many women feel uninformed about the potential long-term effects of hormonal birth control, such as anxiety and low libido, which are not always communicated by healthcare providers 1. Sarah Hill suggests that this lack of information is not due to a conspiracy but rather a result of the siloed nature of scientific research, where findings are not widely shared across disciplines 1. She explains that hormonal birth control can affect neuroplasticity and may lead to increased cravings for substances like alcohol, as women seek to compensate for the calming effects of natural hormones that are suppressed by birth control 2.

I don't think that there is a big pharma conspiracy. Do I think that the drug companies do a really good job of promoting research that makes it look like birth control has absolutely no side effects? Yeah, a hundred percent they do.

--- Sarah Hill

This underscores the need for comprehensive education and informed consent in birth control decisions.

   

Research Needs

Future research is crucial to understanding the full impact of birth control on women's health. Sarah Hill emphasizes the need for developmental psychologists to study how hormonal birth control affects adolescent brain development, a topic currently under-researched 3. She argues that while pregnancy prevention is important, prescribing birth control for minor issues like acne without understanding its long-term effects is concerning 4. Hill hopes for more cautious prescribing practices and better education for families about the potential impacts of hormonal birth control on developing brains 4.

The research that we do know now is starting to point in the direction that, surprise, surprise, changing women's hormone profile when they're still developing can have a lasting effect on brain development.

--- Sarah Hill

This highlights the urgent need for more comprehensive research and informed discussions between doctors and patients.