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Home/Cycle Matters / Birth Control

Non-estrogen birth control: Minipill and other non-hormonal options

Britney

Written by Brittney Bertagna RN

Brittney Bertagna RN

Brittney Bertagna, RN, merges nursing expertise with a passion for writing about female health. As a health magazine editor, Brittney ensures the spread of evidence-based, patient-centered information, collaborating with top healthcare brands on topics including female anatomy, sexual health, and nutrition.

Fact checked by Agathe van Lamsweerde, Scientist at Natural Cycles

Agathe van Lamsweerde

Agathe van Lamsweerde, holds a Master's in Mathematical Engineering from KU Leuven and EPFL, and works as a Data Scientist at Natural Cycles in Geneva. Her role entails developing in-house algorithms and collaborating with global research teams to challenge stigmas in women’s reproductive health.

Last updated:

13 min read

Key Takeaways

  • A number of medical conditions, such as high blood pressure and certain cancers, may require you to avoid contraceptive methods containing estrogen 
  • There are safe estrogen-free birth control options available on the market 
  • When it comes to preventing pregnancy, progesterone-only birth control and non-hormonal birth control are both options you can consider

Estrogen is a naturally occurring sex hormone. Among other roles, it plays an important part in puberty and reproduction. A synthetic version of this hormone is often used in birth control methods as a means to prevent pregnancy. However, some people can’t or don’t want to use birth control containing estrogen. The good news is there are a range of methods out there that don’t contain this hormone. In this article, we’ll take a look at the different types of birth control without estrogen, how they work, and why you might choose to use them.

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