How does the birth control pill affect menopause and its symptoms? A doctor explains

Menopause is a natural stage in a woman’s life during which the menstrual cycle ceases. The average age for this to occur is 51. During this phase, 80 per cent of women experience various symptoms, such as:

• Hot flushes
• Mood swings
• Poor sleep

These symptoms are typically caused by hormonal fluctuations.

The birth control pill contains synthetic hormones, ethinyl estradiol (oestrogen), and/or a progestin (progestogen), which influence a woman’s natural hormonal balance. By artificially regulating these hormones, the pill suppresses ovulation, menstruation, and hormonal symptoms. This prevents pregnancy but may also cause you to miss the signs of menopause, leaving you unaware of whether your cycle is changing or has already stopped. You continue to experience monthly bleeding caused by the hormones in the pill, not your natural menstruation.

If you are on the pill or another form of hormonal contraception, you will still experience monthly bleeding. The hormones in the pill trigger an artificial bleed. As a result, you won’t know if your cycle is changing or has already stopped. Additionally, the pill can mask symptoms that you might otherwise notice due to hormonal fluctuations during menopause.

Some doctors recommend that women stop taking the pill around the age of 51 to see if they still menstruate. According to the guidelines of the Dutch College of General Practitioners (NHG), contraception is no longer necessary after the age of 52.

Other doctors suggest stopping the use of the birth control pill earlier and switching to a hormone-free form of contraception. This is because the risks associated with the pill increase as you age. If you take the pill after age 50, you have a slightly higher risk of:

• Thrombosis
• High blood pressure
• Cardiovascular disease
• Breast cancer

Hormone therapy (HRT) is a treatment that temporarily supplements hormonal deficiencies during menopause. It is specifically designed for women experiencing symptoms such as hot flushes or disrupted sleep during menopause.

Hormone therapy is not a substitute for the pill when it comes to contraception, but it is often the first choice for alleviating menopause symptoms. This is because it contains a lower dose of hormones than the pill.

There are different forms of oestrogen and progesterone in hormone therapy: bioidentical and synthetic hormones. Whether this treatment is suitable for you and in what form depends on your personal situation and needs.

Note: Since hormone therapy is not a contraceptive, a hormone-free form of contraception remains important if you do not want to become pregnant and are still menstruating.

The key question is: Do you want to avoid pregnancy, and are you still menstruating or has it been less than a year since your last period? If so, you will need a form of contraception, as there is still a small chance of pregnancy. The following hormone-free options are available:

• Male condom
• Female condom
• Copper IUD
• Diaphragm (silicone cap) and spermicide gel
• Sterilisation
• Temperature tracking

It’s important to understand your options for managing menopause symptoms, as the birth control pill is not always the best choice. Hormone therapy (HRT) can be a solution, but there are also hormone-free treatments. Additionally, some women report that certain supplements, such as the following, help reduce symptoms:

• Omega-3
• Magnesium
• Solgar® MenoPrime

Whatever you decide, the most important thing is to be well-informed about your options and choose what best suits your situation. Every woman is different, and there is no one-size-fits-all solution. Through our platform, you can easily schedule an intake, after which a doctor will determine the best treatment for you.