It’s not click bait. You read it right. There is a non-hormonal birth control pill that has been around since 1991.
Centchroman is a reversible birth control method popular in South Asia under brand names Saheli and Choice-7. It is what is known as a Selective Estrogen Receptor Modulator (SERMS), meaning it acts on the estrogen receptor without effecting estrogen levels. This means there’s none of the usual birth control side effects, like nausea, headaches, and depression! Some SERMS are currently being used to treat breast cancer and osteoporosis, and could treat uterine bleeding. Centchroman was found to be 93-100% effective.
Centchroman only needs to be taken once a week. However, despite it being available for free in India, it is not available in the US.
India, much like the US, has a big pharmaceutical industry, and holds the patent on this drug. The problem is, they don’t see a lot of money being made from it. Additionally, FDA approval would have to be received in order to do clinical trials on the drug, which is not a cheep process. Since the IUD does so well in America, and we already have effective birth control pills, America’s pharmaceutical industry thinks there would be a lack of hype around it (AKA it wouldn’t be a big enough money maker for them).
Many people on birth control feel as if they have to decide between the potential chance of pregnancy or suffering adverse birth control side effects. Many people’s bodies do not agree with hormonal contraception, for whatever reason. Hopefully, the USA will develop their own version of Centchroman to allow people on birth control to choose which method works best for them.
Vogue Vulva 