Hormonal contraception and regulation of menstruation: a study of young women's attitudes towards ‘having a period’

Abstract

Background Irregular bleeding is one of the most common side effects of hormonal contraception and a key reason for the discontinuation of hormonal methods. Study design A qualitative study in which 12 young women volunteered to be interviewed in depth, along with six focus group discussions (23 participants). The study had two main research objectives: to document and investigate what young women think and feel about menstruation and contraception, and to explore young women's preferences regarding the intersection of contraceptives and bleeding patterns. Results Although participants held a broad view that menstruation can be an inconvenience, they did ascribe positive values to having a regular bleed. Bleeding was seen as a signifier of nonpregnancy and also an innate part of being a woman. A preference for a 'natural' menstruating body was a strong theme, and the idea of selecting a hormonal contraceptive that might stop the bleeding was not overly popular, unless the young woman suffered with painful natural menstruation. Contraceptives that mimicked the menstrual cycle were acceptable to most, suggesting that cyclic bleeding still holds a symbolic function for women. Conclusions When counselling young women about the effect of different contraceptive modalities on their bleeding, practitioners should explore how the women feel about their bleeding, including how they might feel if their bleeding stopped or if they experienced erratic bleeding patterns. Practitioners also need to recognise the subjective understanding of the 'natural body' as held by some women, and in these cases to support them in their seeking out of non-hormonal methods of contraception.

Women's Contraceptive Perceptions, Beliefs, and Attitudes: An Integrative Review of Qualitative Research

“…The medical and social discourses of menstrual cycles tell women that a regular, monthly cycle indicates health and fertility. Although the desire to decrease or stop menstruation is clinically popular, easily accomplished, and has been shown to decrease the lifetime risk of certain cancers, there is a mismatch between women's desires and health care providers’ advocacy of these methods . Meeting the needs of women means that providers and researchers should explore the meaning behind the desire to have or avoid normal cycles and the ways in which social discourse may affect a women's perception of her menstruation.…”

Percepção das mulheres sobre o impacto da menstruação no cotidiano de vida

“…Na percepção fisiológica da menstruação, as falas são confirmadas em estudo que buscou conhecer o que mulheres jovens pensam e sentem a respeito da menstrução, amenorréia e contracepção onde, embora as participantes tenham uma visão clara de que a menstruação pode ser um incoveniente, atribuíram valores positivos à presença do sangramento como por exemplo a de não estar grávida 12 .…”

“…No aspecto psicológico, a presença da menstruação gera um sentimento positivo, pois as mulheres a relacionam com a fertilidade, indo ao encontro das falas das participantes deste estudo 12 .…”

The relationship between the use of combined hormonal contraception with a predominance of gestagens and the selected types of female body in young women from the region of Lower Silesia

“…70% of cases. Newton and Hoggart (2015) emphasize that the use of OCG involves the resolution or significant reduction of selected skin disorders (acne, hirsutism) and the reduction of the intensity of menstrual bleeding. 40% of respondents observe this effect and consider the skin improvement to be a significant positive result of the use of contraception.…”