THE introduction of the oral contraceptive pill in the 1950s was a medical innovation that gave women freedom and reproductive autonomy. No longer would they have to rely on men, just the pop of a pill could give a woman reproductive control, and control over her body.

But the pill, and other hormonal methods of birth control, have been fraught with issues for women, some ignored by their gynaecologists. From bleeding to depression to fertility issues, women have been through it, and below they share some horror stories.

What’s been your experience with hormonal birth control? For these women, though the benefits were good in terms of preventing pregnancy, their lives were changed for the worse for the time they utilised birth control.

Emily, 40:

I tried two hormonal methods, and finally settled on the pill after Depo made me bleed for months. I tried several pills, and for one particular brand which promised to help with acne, that was the worst experience. I became suicidal and homicidal, no cap. I thought of ways to harm my partner. I had very, very dark thoughts, and though my acne cleared, the depression had me in a dark place. It was when I googled it that I saw other women’s experiences — mind you, my female gynaecologist said what I felt couldn’t have been linked to the pill. But why would my symptoms have started when I started it, and ended when I stopped? I switched to a pill with a totally different formulation, and the side effects were non-existent.

Ruth-Ann, 28:

Every single month on the pill I got a yeast infection or bacterial vaginosis (BV). Every single month I was at the doctor for treatment, and at one point the inserts wouldn’t even work anymore. I didn’t even make the link at first, and my doctor never told me. Ironically, the antibiotics for the BV made the pill less effective, and I had to use another barrier method of birth control. Just imagine not being able to live your life because there’s always some outbreak down there. When I came off the pill everything stopped. Today, I just stick to condoms.

Vanessa, 30:

Zero sex drive; it was like I was a zombie. I was supposed to be more relaxed and less worried about pregnancy on the pill so that I could enjoy my husband, but instead I had no desire for him and was just very dry. All I wanted to do was sleep. It was a magazine article that I read which made me realise that low libido was a symptom. I switched brands and then everything balanced out.

Nordia, 44:

My experience was with the injection; I was on it for about three years. When I stopped I expected things to regulate like in a few months. This wasn’t the case. I was bleeding consistently for several weeks; and when that stopped I didn’t have my menses for several other months so I had no way to track my ovulation, and this was while trying to get pregnant. It was a very unsettling experience because the hormones were in my body so long. It was literally two years after stopping that things got regular, and I was ovulating and got pregnant.