Birth control pills also called as oral contraceptive pills are the most popular and effective choice when it comes to preventing pregnancy. The pill is safe, simple, convenient, and 99% effective, which is why it’s so popular.
The pill is a small tablet that you swallow each day. Unlike condoms, oral contraceptive does not interrupt sexual practice in any way, so it senses that women prefer it. Most birth control pills have two types of synthetic hormones, namely estrogen and progestin.
These hormones are similar to the estrogen and progesterone normally made by the ovaries and work to change the way the body works and prevent the release of the egg during the monthly cycle (ovulation). The pills are known as combined oral contraceptives and are available in different kinds. Besides preventing pregnancy, the medicine has lots of other benefits too.
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A woman cannot conceive if she does not ovulate because there is no egg to be fertilized. The man-made hormones in the pill help prevent pregnancy by suppressing your pituitary gland, which stops ovulation, the development, and release of the egg in the ovary. Its daily administration thickens the mucus around the cervix. This thicker cervical mucus makes it difficult for the sperm to swim to an egg that has been released. The progestin hormone in the pill also affects the lining of the uterus, making it hard for an egg to attach to the wall of the uterus.
Choose the best birth control pill
Talk to your healthcare specialist about whether the medicine is right for you. Discuss which one and what dosage is best for you. The combination pill with both progestin and estrogen is slightly more effective than the progestin-only medicine. In some cases, women are not supposed to take estrogen, so it’s better for them to take the progestin-only pill. You should select a pill depending on your requirement. Make sure that you check with your physician to know the best birth control choice for you.
Medical benefits
Oral contraceptives are primarily used as a birth control method. Some brands of pills help reduce the appearance of acne vulgaris. It can also be prescribed to reduce physical and emotional symptoms that occur before menses. The pills are extremely effective in the regulation of irregular periods or heavy bleeding. Your physician may also prescribe a pill to treat endometriosis; a condition develops when the uterus lining grows in other parts that cause pain and irregular periods.
Usage
The pill is supplied in the form of tablets for oral administration. It is meant to be taken every day or all days of your regular cycle. The medicine should be taken at the same time each day to get the most out of it. It is preferred to take it with milk or food to prevent nausea. You can be prescribed with 21 days, 28 days, or 91-day pill. If you are on 21-day treatment, then you need to take the pill for 21 days along with a break of 7 days before resuming it. In the case of the 28-day pill, you must consume it daily. The rest seven pills are called as dummy pills with different colors, mostly containing vitamins or iron, to remind you to consume the next set of pills. The set of 91-day pills has 91 tablets in three rows. You must start with the first row as described in the leaflet. Check with your physician on when to begin and which pill to use. In case you forget a pill, you need to use a backup contraceptive method for a week after. The same is applicable if you are vomiting or having diarrhea.
Precautions
Before taking any set of birth control pills, check with your physician to see whether the use of the drug is safe for you or not. Women who are suffering from blood clots, vaginal bleeding other than during periods and migraines are recommended not to take the pill. It is important to inform your physician if you are on other medications or are allergic to any of the ingredients present in the formulation. Also, if you are undergoing surgery, tell your physician that you have been prescribed with birth control pills. Family background of diabetes, asthma, and cardiovascular disorders must also be revealed. Women are advised not to smoke during the therapy as it may increase the risk of adverse effects.
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Adverse effects
A majority of women who are on oral contraceptives do not experience any side effects. In some cases, women may have headaches, breast tenderness, tiredness, nausea, irregular periods, dizziness and other unwanted effects. In addition, there could be a rise in blood pressure, so it is advisable to have a regular assessment of your blood pressure.
