The Contraceptive Divide: How Women Pay the Price

“What makes you think men have it easier than women?” Although there are many answers to this question, birth control is one of them. Women have been experiencing severe side effects from oral contraceptives for decades, yet the pills remain in use. Only recently have scientists begun slowly developing a birth control pill for men called “YCT-529,” especially as the risks of men taking the drug are comparatively and significantly lower. Studies were conducted in the past, where men have taken the pill and experienced similar side effects that women experience during menstruation. Due to these side effects, the studies paused, and many called it unfair, as it was, especially looking at the history of the women’s birth control pill development.

Human trials were conducted in Puerto Rico in the 1950s. And though the pill was effective, it came with many side effects that would be considered dangerous and unethical, such as nausea, dizziness, stomach aches, headaches, etc. However, the side effects were disregarded as the benefits seemed to outweigh the drawbacks or were seen as psychosomatic, even if three women died while partaking.

In this day and age, production of popular birth control pills with severe side effects still exists, such as levonorgestrel/ethinyl & drospirenone/ethinyl estradiol tablets (Levora & Yaz). Many oral contraceptives share similar side effects and can have lasting impacts on women, especially during menstruation, affecting them physically and mentally.

Women have reported that menstrual symptoms were present outside of their cycle, maximizing symptoms commonly present in dysmenorrhea:

• Stomach cramping/bloating

• Vaginal discomfort & spotting

• Breast tenderness/swelling

• Irregular menstrual periods

• Mood swings (irritability)

  
  

Women tend to struggle with these symptoms outside of menstruation, too; however, the discomfort that results from these symptoms can increase as a result of taking birth control pills.

Oral contraceptives have also been capable of taking a toll on mental health due to the drastic changes that occur to the body and overall appearance. Some include:

• Darkened facial skin

• Acne

• Loss of scalp hair/increased hair growth

• Weight/appetite fluctuations

• Decreased sex drive

• Low energy

  
  

When the topic of birth control comes up, the effects on mental health are often ignored. When drastic bodily changes occur, it can change how women view themselves, especially during crucial periods of their lives — “prime time.” They can feel out of place and isolated in society; as their daily routines change, and motivation & passion decrease, as proven.

Imagine you are a woman who is visibly seeing gradual changes day by day; the bodily changes intensify and subside every time you take the pill. You look at yourself in the mirror and suddenly lose the confidence you had always carried yourself with, all because of the use of a pill. A pill that risks not just your physical health, but risks the person you are — to yourself and others close to you. People will blame you for the health risks you face because you decided to take the pills, but they do not realize your body is the one changing as a result. It is a woman’s body at risk; a woman who carries a child while carrying the risks along with her. A man partakes in creating the child, but not the one who holds the life within him, yet the women suffer physically and mentally to decrease the risk of pregnancy.

As stigma around taking birth control as a woman is still present to this day, it becomes harder for women to fight these side effects physically and mentally.

While lasting effects can include these short-term changes, long-term effects are also risks of taking these pills:

• Blood clots (can lead to heart attack/stroke)

• Increase potassium levels in the blood

• Cancers (breast, cervical, hepatocellular carcinoma - liver cancer)

• High blood pressure

• Increased cholesterol or triglycerides

• Migraines

• Depression

  
  

While taking pills can pose risks, these risks seem to outweigh the benefits, as their bodily autonomy can be altered so intensely. While the study from Puerto Rico appears to be evidence of this, the development of the YCT-529 continues to support this point. The YCT-529 is a new pill for men to stop sperm production. While being 99% effective in mice and primates, it was shown to have no side effects, unlike past studies where the development of male birth control pills was paused due to headaches and nausea. A 2024 clinical trial (phase 1) demonstrated its safety for humans.

Now, it is a wonder how, for so many decades, women have been going through the struggles that come with taking birth control, including the physical and mental effects, while men have watched for those decades until recently. Although it seems biologically easier since women release one egg per month and men produce millions of sperm, it poses too much risk and continues to this day.

The side effects of women’s birth control have been ignored for far too long. Therefore, if the YCT-529 and other male birth control pills increase in popularity, they can help reduce the struggles that can result from these long-lasting side effects for women.

References

American Experience. (2018d, January 4). The Puerto Rico Pill Trials. Pbs.org; American Experience. https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/pill-puerto-rico-pill-trials/

Brewer, A. (2023, August 31). All About Yaz. Healthline; Healthline Media. https://www.healthline.com/health/drugs/yaz#side-effects

Levora (Levonorgestrel and Ethinyl Estradiol Tablets): Uses, Dosage, Side Effects, Interactions, Warning. (2022, May 31). RxList; RxList Inc. https://www.rxlist.com/levora-drug.htm

Mannowetz, N., Chung, S. S. W., Maitra, S., Noman, M. A. A., Wong, H. L., Cheryala, N., Bakshi, A., Wolgemuth, D. J., & Georg, G. I. (2025). Targeting the retinoid signaling pathway with YCT-529 for effective and reversible oral contraception in mice and primates. Communications Medicine, 5(1). https://doi.org/10.1038/s43856-025-00752-7

Yaz: Uses, side effects, alternatives, and more. (2023, June 30). Www.medicalnewstoday.com. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/drugs-yaz#_noHeaderPrefixedContent