What happens when we stop viewing the menstrual cycle as an essential part of female biology and start treating it as something to suppress? In this episode, Dr. Leah Gordon and Dr. Morgan MacDermott take a deeper look at the history and culture surrounding hormonal birth control, how women came to view their cycles as inconvenient or problematic, and what can happen when symptoms like painful periods, PMS, acne, irregular cycles, or heavy bleeding are suppressed instead of investigated.
They discuss the difference between contraception and treating the root cause of hormonal symptoms, fertility awareness and modern cycle tracking, potential side effects and risks of hormonal birth control, informed consent, fertility, and why individualized care matters. Most importantly, this isn’t an argument that every woman should avoid birth control, it’s a conversation about understanding your body, knowing your options, and making intentional decisions about your reproductive health.
00:00 — Trailer & Introduction
03:38 — The War on Female Biology
07:05 — The History of Birth Control
11:08 — Is Birth Control Fixing the Problem?
13:58 — The Fire Alarm Analogy
16:40 — Informed Consent & Birth Control
19:21 — When Birth Control Has a Place
24:22 — A Personal Experience With Birth Control
30:21 — What Is “Woman Essence”?
34:54 — Fertility Awareness vs. Birth Control
40:10 — The Truth About the Rhythm Method
41:58 — Public Health vs. Individualized Care
44:42 — Can Birth Control Mask Fertility Problems?
45:32 — The Potential Risks of Hormonal Birth Control
47:46 — Depo-Provera & Emerging Safety Concerns
49:09 — How Much Do We Really Know About Long-Term Risks?
51:37 — Birth Control & Fertility: What We Know
53:03 — Why Did Male Birth Control Studies Stop?
53:59 — Birth Control, Responsibility & Choice
56:09 — Feminism, Motherhood & the Modern Woman
60:39 — Is Our Culture Designed for Mothers?
63:15 — Know Your Why Before Taking Birth Control
63:44 — Your Cycle Is a Vital Sign
64:57 — What Real Reproductive Freedom Looks Like
65:50 — Learning to Value the Female Cycle
67:47 — Finding Joy in Your Womanhood
71:09 — Closing
Resources From This Episode:
- Download Dr. Leah’s Free Fertility Lab Guide – https://drleahgordon.com/fertility-lab-guide-freebie
- Join Womanhood Wellness membership – https://drleahgordon.com/join
- Period as 5th Vital Sign – https://youtu.be/HIKr1R3iYKo?si=mLjYzAPYON15ArM0
- Preparing Body for Pregnancy After Birth Control – https://youtu.be/THaoCkFAxWk?si=787HpG-E06M4L5Aq
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Find more from Dr. Leah:
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Find more from Dr. Morgan:
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