Can the method of birth control you choose affect your physical and sports performance? Turns out the answer is not totally straightforward...yet. But Sara Gross chats today with Allison Campbell who is on a mission to get those answers for active women.

Allison Campbell is a PhD candidate studying female athletes' cardiac structure and function, and athletic performance through different hormonal profiles. This includes puberty, the menstrual cycle, as well as the the effects of different methods of contraception. Through this research, Allison is hoping to provide answers for female athletes to help guide them to choose a method of contraception that is best for them.

Today Allison and Sara discuss:

• Different types of contraceptives available for women
• The difference between hormonal and barrier methods of contraception
• How hormonal contraceptives can affect us as active women
• The social and cultural impact of contraceptives for female athletes
• The link between hormonal contraception and mental health
• Some questions to ask both yourself and your healthcare provider when choosing which method of contraceptive is best for you

As a former collegiate athlete herself, Allison's journey in finding the type of contraceptive that is best for her has lead her down this path to helping other women find answers for themselves as well.

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• Bedsider Birth Control Support Network