We're back with a good one! Let's take a look at the side-effects of the contraceptive pill - what you need to know wrapped up into 40ish minutes.

This week Sal and Shauna cover:

•Whether you need to bleed AT ALL

•Whether there is a link between the pill and depression

•If the pill contributes to accelerated hair loss

•How strippers can earn more (no joke).

•How the pill can impact partner selection

•What health issues the pill is used to effectively treat.

•PLUS their own very different experiences on the pill

Resources:

Contraception Quiz:

https://www.contraceptionchoices.org/whats-right-for-me

Suggested reading:

How the Pill Changes Everything: Your Brain on Birth Control - Dr Sarah E hill

Period Power: Harness Your Hormones and Get Your Cycle Working For You - Maisie Hill

How the Pill may shrink the hypothalamus:

https://www.livescience.com/birth-control-brain-hypothalamus.html

On the Pill altering sexual partner preference:

https://www.livescience.com/9744-pill-alter-sex-partner-preferences.html

Skovlund CW, Morch LS, Kessing LV, Lidegaard O. Association of hormonal contraception with depression. JAMA Psychiatry. 2016;73(11):1154-62.

Keyes KM, Cheslack-Postava K, Westhoff C, Heim CM, Haloossim M, Walsh K, et al. Association of hormonal contraceptive use with reduced levels of depressive symptoms: a national study of sexually active women in the United States. Am J Epidemiol. 2013;178(9):1378-88.

Toffol E, Heikinheimo O, Koponen P, Luoto R, Partonen T. Hormonal contraception and mental health: results of a population-based study. Hum Reprod. 2011;26(11):3085-93.