Content note: this article contains discussions of nausea and vomiting.
I want to start off by saying directly to anyone with emetophobia that I see you. I have emetophobia myself. I know how isolating it can feel, and I hope this is helpful and validating for you.
What is emetophobia?
If you have emetophobia, you don’t need me to explain what it is. But maybe you’re reading this because you’re trying to support someone you know who has emetophobia, or you’re reading this to learn something new: either way, I’m glad you’re here.
Emetophobia is often defined as a fear of vomiting, but it can involve fear of anything involving nausea or vomiting, including seeing or hearing it, not just the act itself.
How does birth control affect emetophobia? That depends on the method or methods being used, and the individual experiences of a given person, because each person experiences emetophobia and birth control differently.
If you have emetophobia, and you’re trying to figure out what method of birth control will be best for you, one of the most important things to remember is to be honest: with yourself, with your medical provider, and with anyone you have sex with. If you find yourself wanting to hide or downplay your emetophobia because you’re embarrassed, ashamed or telling yourself it’s not “important enough,” I can promise you, honesty and your emetophobia matters.
Just in case this is news to you, if you are experiencing frequent nausea and vomiting or distress and anxiety when you think about them, talk to your doctor to see about a possible physical cause: it’s uncommon, but sometimes there are physical causes of emetophobia. If you haven’t before, consider making an appointment with a therapist who can work with you on any psychological causes, and who can give you tools for managing your anxiety. There are lots of options available to improve your mental health and quality of life.
Birth Control Methods That May Cause Nausea
Most birth control options that can cause nausea are hormonal. These include:
- Birth Control Pills
- Contraceptive Implants
- Contraceptive Patches
- Depo-Provera (AKA The Shot or Jab)
- Emergency Contraception Pills (AKA EC)
- Hormonal IUDs
- Vaginal Rings
The methods listed above all work by releasing synthetic hormones (a synthetic estrogen, progesterone, or a combination of both) into the body. These hormones can irritate the stomach or slow down digestion, and they also change the hormone levels in the body. These effects can lead to nausea, though it’s usually not expected to last more than a few months while the body adjusts to those hormonal changes.
Not all hormonal birth control methods release hormones into the body the same way. The type and concentration of hormones, as well as where in the body each method starts releasing hormones, can affect the possibility of nausea. For example, birth control shots release larger amounts of hormones into the body at a time than birth control pills, but the hormones in birth control pills get absorbed into the blood through the stomach lining, which means they can have more of an effect on digestion. Ask your doctor about which option is least likely to cause nausea when you discuss your birth control needs.
Only two non-hormonal methods can cause internal reactions in the body (and therefore possibly lead to nausea) and the nausea is temporary. Those are a non-hormonal IUD (because getting it put in can cause cramps and nausea, much like the hormonal version, but it’s not expected to last) and surgical sterilization (because nausea can be a side effect of anesthesia).
There’s no way to know for sure if most birth control methods will or won’t cause nausea, but there are things that could help if it does. For example, when it comes to birth control pills, taking them with food or taking them before bed and sleeping through the effects could be helpful.
There are general options that are meant to help with nausea, whether it’s caused by birth control or not. Some of these are: eating bland foods, getting fresh air, sipping water, and using ginger (like ginger chews, ginger hard candies, drinking ginger ale, etc.). If you have emetophobia, you’re probably already quite familiar with those options, I know I am. (For example, in my house, ginger ale has its own permanent position in my fridge.) You can also discuss prescription options with your doctor.
I want to add that even though I’ve been laying all this out as if it’s simple so far, I understand that, as someone with emetophobia, dealing with nausea, or even the possibility of it, can be debilitating. Even just writing this and reading through it has made me anxious, and even given me some anxiety nausea, throughout the process. Maybe reading it has been doing that to you too, so I’m checking in here to add another thing that can help: breathe. Pause and breathe for as long as you may need to, and whenever you’re ready, let’s move on.
Birth Control Options That Don’t Cause Nausea
Non-hormonal options (all covered in Birth Control Bingo!) if you’re worried about nausea include:
- Condoms
- Fertility Awareness
- Diaphragms and Cervical Caps
- The Sponge
- Withdrawal
You can also choose to engage in sexual activities that can’t cause pregnancy. I’m not saying you have to avoid certain kinds of sex because of emetophobia, but you know yourself and your limits best, and if all birth control methods feel like a poor fit for you, not engaging in the kinds of sex that prevent pregnancy in the first place is another option. Activities like the following pose absolutely no risks of pregnancy:
- Kissing
- Intimate touching or massaging
- Manual sex
- Oral sex
- Dry Humping (grinding but with both partners clothed)
- Masturbation (includes both solo masturbation and masturbation with partners)
- Using sex toys (solo and also with partners)
- Sexting
- Watching, reading or listening to porn, erotica or fanfiction
- Phone sex
Note: Any kind of sex with someone who has the same kind of genitals as you doesn’t carry a risk of pregnancy, but kissing, anal sex, manual sex, oral sex, dry humping and using sex toys can carry STI risks. (There’s more information about the STI risk levels for different kinds of sex in this article: “Can I Get Pregnant, Or Get Or Pass On An STI From That?”)
Talking about your emetophobia with a partner may not be easy, but that’s how you can make sure you get the methods that work best for your circumstances, and it’s probably going to be a big weight off your shoulders too.
It can be scary to share something so personal and frequently misunderstood with a potential partner, especially when you have specific needs because of it, but this really is a put yourself first situation. It’s not selfish, or wrong, or overdramatic to make it clear that emetophobia affects your birth control needs or any other part of your life. Sharing that with them doesn’t just help you get what you need, it shows that you trust them enough to be vulnerable, and that’s a building block of creating not only fulfilling sexual relationships, but fulfilling relationships of any kind.
