the definitions.
If knowledge is power, you're gonna be almighty.
Get your footing by looking over our glossary. We promise there won't be a pop quiz.
Hormones
Hormones rule the world. They're your body's messenger pigeons, delivering biological instructions from your head to your toe.
Key Terms
Progestogen
Progesterone is one of two female sex hormones. It creates a cozy, baby-making environment within your uterus. That not for you? Don't fret; progestogen is a hormone with many talents. It also regulates your period and acts as an antidepressant, lowering anxiety and minimizing mood swings.
Progesterone
You know how squares are rectangles but rectangles aren't squares? Enter progesterone. Progesterone is your body's homegrown progestogen.
Progestin*
...which makes progestin a lab-man progestogen used in birth control. All hormonal birth control a progestin. That said, there several types of progestins with varying pros and cons.
Estrogen
You can think of estrogen as the helicopter mom of female sex hormones because it's always involved. Estrogen stimulates egg growth, lubes up your vagina, and supports boob development. Wowzers. The most common type of estrogen in birth control is ethinyl estradiol.
A new estrogen for birth control was recently approved - the first in 50 years! Estetrol is the only plant-based estrogen available for birth control.
Androgen
Androgen is a male sex hormone. It tells your body to start puberty and grow pubic hair (yay!). Just like the other sex hormones, it's multi-faceted. Androgen also plays a major role in muscle tone and bone density.
*Fun fact: not only do progestins have progestogenic traits, they also have varying levels of both estrogenic and androgenic traits.
Birth Control Phases
Variety is the spice of life, just as it is the spice of birth control.
Key Terms
Monophasic
The hormone dosage is consistent across the board.
Biphasic
The hormone dosage changes mid-cycle to somewhat-mimic your natural cycle.**
Triphasic
The hormone dosage changes twice during your cycle to better-mimic your natural cycle.**
Quadphasic
The hormone dosage changes three times during your cycle to best-mimic your natural cycle.**
**While bi-, tri-, and quad- phasic birth control options are meant to mimic your natural hormone cycle, that isn't always the best option. The natural hormone cycle has many fluctuations, contributing to a variety of unwanted symptoms.
