What You Don't Know About Your Birth Control — But SHOULD

Taking the pill, or hormonal birth control, is pretty ubiquitous in the U.S. — over 90% of college-educated, sexually active women have taken it at one point. Many younger women start taking it either in high school or college — either to prevent pregnancy or regulate unruly periods — and just keep on popping BC until they decide they want to have children (if they do). But, this little pill is powerful; like any medication, it affects your body and brain, sometimes in major ways that you might not be aware of. So, what should you know about the medication you're likely already taking?

Well, first off, it's important to realize that birth control can actually lower your sex drive — it suppresses the testosterone bump women often receive mid-cycle. So, if you went on the pill because you were sexually active, then found your drive to get busy flagging, this could be a reason.

Also, have you found yourself super-attracted to the most macho men in the house since starting BC? Research shows that the pill can actually change who you're attracted to, skewing your lust toward more masculine men. The obvious problem here: There are plenty of dudes who don't spend every day pumping iron — they can make great partners, too.

From the way that you absorb your B vitamins to who you choose for a partner, research suggests that the pill can affect you in some major ways. There are also plenty of positives, like diminishing those kill-me-now cramps and lowering the likelihood of certain cancers. But a gal should be informed, right? Head over to MindBodyGreen to check out their list of 14 things women should know about their birth control — there's definitely some eye-opening stuff, here! (MindBodyGreen)