Regardless of where you stand on the gender spectrum, birth control may be right for you to help prevent pregnancy and support your overall health and wellness, especially if you have a uterus and ovaries. It can be confusing to know which method is right for you and if it is safe and healthy to use it, especially for transmen. For transgender men who are going through gender-affirming hormone therapy, birth control can be important in preventing unexpected pregnancies. Hormone therapy uses testosterone to change secondary sex characteristics, helping transgender men grow facial hair or develop a deeper voice. But, testosterone does not eliminate the chances of getting pregnant. In fact, if someone has not had bottom surgery and is having unprotected vaginal sex, there is a likelihood that they may get pregnant. So let’s repeat, "testosterone is not a form of contraception."
Birth control does not only prevent pregnancy for transgender men, but it also helps stop periods, a trigger for gender dysmorphia. Birth control may be a blessing in more than one way and is something you may want to consider taking if you identify as a transgender man.
There are some myths that often prevent transgender men from using birth control, so let's dispel some of them so that anyone can make an informed decision about whether birth control is right for them.
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Myth #1: Birth control will get in the way of hormone therapy.
Nope! With the right birth control prescribed by your doctor, birth control will not interfere with hormone therapy. In fact, progestin-only birth control does not interfere with testosterone use.
Myth #2: Testosterone will keep periods away.
Testosterone can prevent periods and make them more infrequent. However, someone can still have spotting every now and then. To prevent such things altogether, birth control may be a good option. And this leads us to our third myth…
Myth #3: Someone can't get pregnant if they don't have periods.
Just because someone don’t have periods does not mean they cannot get pregnant. Testosterone does not eliminate the function of ovaries so if someone is having unprotected sex they can get pregnant!
Interested in learning more or finding the right birth control method for you? Visit a clinic near you!