I couldn’t pinpoint the exact moment things started to feel off, but by the time I was throwing my suitcase into the car, ready to go back to uni in 2007, frustration boiling over, I knew something wasn’t right. My mum stood nearby, watching me with concern that looked too much like irritation.
We’d been snapping at each other all morning – little digs, sharp words – but it wasn’t just the usual family tension. I was emotional in a way that felt unmanageable. I could feel tears threatening to escape for what felt like the hundredth time that week. As I shut the car boot a little too hard, she let out a weary sigh and said, “Is this because of the pill?”
It hadn’t occurred to me until that moment, but she was right. I had recently restarted the combined pill after getting into a new relationship. I hadn’t connected the dots: I just thought I was overwhelmed, or worse, regressing back to being my old teenage self. But now, a switch flipped.
I remembered feeling this way before: emotionally volatile, clouded by moods I couldn’t control. I used to think that was just me, that I was naturally ‘moody,’ too sensitive. But what if it wasn’t? What if all those years of emotional turbulence weren’t just personality traits, but reactions to my contraception?
No, I didn't get ‘superpowers’.
That moment sparked a decade-long journey of research, trial and error, and (let’s be honest) a lot of frustration. I’ve now tried more than seven different types of contraception, and every time I started a new relationship, I found myself back in the GP’s office, asking the same questions and being handed the same tired leaflets. I was desperate for answers that just didn’t seem to exist in the system.
For years, I felt like I wasn’t being listened to, like my physical and emotional reactions to contraception were just something I had to put up with. I was dealing with intense mood swings, uncomfortable side effects, and a complete lack of personalised support. All of this while trying to live my life, study, work, build relationships, and – eventually – navigate the emotional rollercoaster of trying to conceive.
During this time, I was also diagnosed with endometriosis, a common but often misunderstood condition that made periods and sex painful. As I got older and started thinking about starting a family, I realised just how little support there was at every stage of my reproductive life. From managing period pain to choosing the right contraceptive, to understanding fertility, it felt like I was constantly stumbling around in the dark.
So I decided to do something about it.
We urgently need better education on the impact PCOS has on our bodies and minds.
In 2019, I launched The Lowdown: the world’s first review platform for contraception. Think of it as a Tripadvisor for your uterus. It’s a space where women can share honest experiences about everything from pills and patches to injections and IUDs. We’ve grown into a thriving community, with over two million women every year visiting us for information and advice, sharing their stories and seeking better answers than what their health systems have been offering.
We’ve also built tools like a contraception recommendation quiz, a missed pill calculator, and links to an online prescription service so you can access a wider range of methods more easily. But most importantly, we’re putting the power back into women’s hands by making real, relatable information available to everyone, not just the stuff hidden away in medical journals or passed around in confusing leaflets.
We’re now proud to announce that all this information can be found in one place: our book Contraception.
“There's almost no element that alcohol doesn't impact in terms of endometriosis”
This is the book I wish I’d had when I was 16, 21, 28 and even now, in my thirties. Contraception is a straightforward, honest guide that walks you through every stage of your reproductive life - from your first period to menopause, and everything in between. Whether you’re trying to avoid pregnancy, manage your periods, or figure out why your hormones are suddenly doing somersaults, this book is your toolkit.
It’s packed with clear explanations of every contraceptive option out there, real women’s stories, and the latest research to help you make informed choices that actually work for you. It doesn’t talk down to you. It doesn’t sugarcoat side effects. It’s just real, reliable information.
We wrote Contraception because every woman deserves to feel informed and in control. Not confused, dismissed, or left in the dark. I want you to be able to walk into your next GP appointment feeling confident, to know what questions to ask, and to feel like your body isn’t some kind of medical mystery.
So whether you’re on your first pill, thinking about switching methods, or simply want to feel more in tune with your body, Contraception is for you. It’s time to take the guesswork (and the gaslighting) out of your reproductive health.
Contraception by Alice Pelton, Dr Melanie Davis-Hall and Dr Frances Yarlett is out now.
After a decade of trying to find the right contraception, this method brought balance back to my body.
