HOW TO BE ON BIRTH CONTROL

As attacks on reproductive rights happen across the U.S., contraception is more important than ever. Yet many women are deciding it's no longer serving them or they're pivoting toward hormonefree options. Here, WH cuts through the (very loud) social media noise to help you decide the best route for *your* body and life. Hey, choice is pretty great, don't ya think?

- AMELIA HARNISH

In her decade of using contraception, Erin has tried and tried again: combination pills, the minipill, the ring. "I've used six options over 10 years," she says. After originally starting the Pill at 19, she found the first five years of her birth control journey to be smooth sailing. But then she started feeling...off.

The 31-year-old switched to the ring when she thought the Pill was making her hair fall out. From there, she found another pill that worked great for a while, until it began affecting her moods. Meanwhile, she was being served videos on social media daily from women raving about their decision to fully go off birth control. Doing so felt too risky to her, but finally, after a year of conversations with her fiancé (and her doctor) about their family planning goals and her ongoing issues, she decided she was done.

No more frustrating symptoms. No more hand-wringing over what to try next. "I've felt better since I stopped taking it," Erin says. "But the only reason I'm okay with not being on it is because I know I'm going to try to start a family within the next year. No one should stop unless they're all right with getting pregnant."