Welcome to the first episode of Beyond the Cycle, your go-to podcast for women’s health and hormonal well-being. Have you ever wondered how hormonal birth control might affect your libido or emotional health? Or maybe you’re curious about its impact on your relationships and even the decisions you make? This episode tackles these important questions and more.
We’re joined by Dr. Sarah Hill, author of the groundbreaking book This Is Your Brain on Birth Control, and Abby Epstein, the acclaimed director of The Business of Birth Control. Together, they unpack how hormonal contraception impacts your brain, body, and behavior in ways you might not expect.
00:00:00 - Intro
00:01:44 - The basic hormones that run through our body?
00:03:10 - Are those hormones we're born with?
00:04:23 - When we're on the pill, we're not ovulating?
00:04:37 - What happens to the eggs we are born with?
00:05:18 - Abby on birth control, and why?
00:08:52 - The main reasons people get given the pill?
00:09:49 - The pill also affects our brain, right?
00:11:16 - Decisions we would make in phases of our cycle?
00:12:42 - How long would it take to get my cycle back?
00:20:18 - How does cycle syncing work?
00:23:24 - Is it true that women who live together sync their cycles?
00:24:40 - Is it true science is still a male-dominated world?
00:27:50 - What are the other options for contraception, avoiding the trauma of abortion?
00:31:55 - How can we achieve the 99% effectiveness of the natural method?
00:35:33 - Doctors might not know all these side effects well?
00:40:07 - What advice would you give to listeners who want to stop taking the pill?
00:45:11 - Is discussing the risks of the pill fearmongering?
Resources Mentioned
Dr. Sarah Hill
Sarah's book: This is your brain on birth control
Abby Epstein
We have created a 50% off coupon for our Birth Control: Beyond the Basics 6-part video series for the listeners, here with the link.
We have also created a 50% off coupon to stream or buy The Business of Birth control movie.
Sponsored by Guud Woman
Produced by Velkroo