05/05/2026

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FTER taking the pill for a decade, Elodie Monnier Legrand decided to try “natural” birth control, an

Back to basics: pills vs natural

increasingly popular trend that requires tracking fertility to avoid becoming pregnant. “I wanted my body to return to its natural state,” the French 30-year-old business owner told AFP. However after getting two abortions within six months, she discovered the app she was using had slightly miscalculated her fertility cycle. “It’s not an exact science,” Legrand said. She is one of a rising number of women who are abandoning hormonal contraception such as the pill. In France, 7.5% of women used natural contraceptive methods in 2023, rising from 4.6% in 2016, according to the Inserm institute. Helping drive this trend are influencers on social media, who often promote natural birth control as a way for women to “liberate” themselves from the hormonal effects of the pill. However experts warn some common claims about the pill’s side effects represent misinformation – and methods based on tracking fertility require strict adherence to be effective. Geoffroy Robin, a gynaecologist at age-check system or parental verification, Roblox will assign users aged five to eight to “Roblox Kids” accounts and users aged nine to 15 to “Roblox Select” accounts. The accounts will roll out in early June. “We will also introduce, at the same time, new requirements on what content standards must be met in order to have content or games appear in either the Roblox Kids account or the Roblox Select account,” Chief Safety Officer Matt Kaufman said in a press briefing. Over the past few years, Roblox has come under heavy criticism from governments around the world over accusations of failure to protect children from sexual predators and exploitation. Games that appear in “Roblox Kids” accounts will be limited based on maturity levels and have to go through a “rigorous three-step review process” with strict eligibility requirements for the creators, Kaufman said. The chat feature is turned off by default for “Kids” accounts, but is gradually turned on for “Select” accounts based on age. As part of the three-step review process, Roblox requires developers to verify their IDs, enable two-step verification and maintain an active Roblox Plus subscription. Roblox said it will launch the subscription plan, aimed at its users, on April 30. It will cost US$4.99 (RM19.72) per month and include discounts on in-game items and avatars, as well as platform benefits. – Reuters

o More women pick non-hormonal birth control over hormonal or oral contraceptives

even a change in work schedule can alter a woman’s temperature. This means natural methods are not suitable for everyone, the experts stressed, recommending women considering a change to consult their gynaecologist. French sociologist Cecile Thome said the rise of natural contraceptive methods, driven by promises of “taking control of one’s body” is part of the booming wellness industry. These arguments were compelling for Legrand, who paid seven euros (RM32) a month for a fertility app and bought a “smart ring” for over 200 euros to monitor her temperature. After getting two abortions, she contacted the app’s customer service. “Their responses were very cold, it wasn’t very humane,” she said. The abortions were “hard on her body, hard psychologically,” she emphasised. While Legrand still finds the subject “super interesting”, she wondered if “ultimately, it is just another business.”

The research also suggested there was a link between the increasing use of natural birth control and a rising number of abortions. According to the experts, natural techniques are significantly less effective than traditional methods. Inserm said they should only be considered by women “who accept a risk of pregnancy”. A review conducted by Inserm in 2022 found less than 20% of around 100 fertility apps it analysed made correct predictions about fertility cycles. Most apps also shared users’ data with third parties, often without their knowledge, the review found. ‘Just another business?’ Robin warned “natural methods are absolutely ineffective” for those with irregular cycles – roughly one out of every five women. And there are several factors that can skew measurements. For example, yeast infection or medication such as antihistamines can disrupt the secretion of vaginal mucus. Paracetamol, antibiotics or

window when women are fertile – which is around 10 days a month – and abstaining from sex during this period. The temperature method involves daily checks to detect if women’s bodies have gotten a little warmer, which happens during ovulation. For the “Billings” method, women must inspect their vagina daily to see if there is a build-up of cervical mucus. The “sympto-thermal” method combines the latter two techniques. The embrace of natural contraception – also called fertility awareness – comes as the use of the pill has declined in many countries. A study published last year in BMJ Sexual & Reproductive Health estimated hormonal contraception in England and Wales fell from 19% in 2018 to 11% in 2023.

the University Hospital of Lille in France, said the interest in natural methods was fuelled by “a climate of hormone-phobia”. He also pointed out the pill had long been seen as a “tool of women’s emancipation”. Different methods Louise, a 26-year-old in France who did not want to give her surname, said “hormonal contraception was a complete disaster” for her. When she was 18, her body rejected a hormonal IUD. After getting an implant, she said she suffered from side effects including weight gain, mood swings and depression. For the last six years, she has been using the calendar method of natural birth control. This requires calculating the

Roblox to introduce age-based accounts in child safety push VIDEOGAME platform Roblox said it will create tailored accounts for young users in a push to shore up online safety, as it deals with intense global scrutiny over concerns of child endangerment. Through the company’s

Roblox says it will create tailored accounts for young users in a push to shore up online safety. – REUTERSPIC