Birth Control - The Pill

Combined Oral Contraceptive Pill or The Pill is one of the most popular forms of birth control for women. It combines the hormones estrogen and progestin and is taken orally. It is one of the most studied drugs ever created. When it was first introduced the dosage was so high it created devastating effects, including death. This no longer happens as the dosages have been corrected and is highly studied and tested in the lab. The Pill does not prevent STD/STIs.

How Reliable Is It?

With perfect use the rate is 99.7% effective.

With typical use the rate is 92% effective.

How Does It Work?

The pill was designed to prevent ovulation through the combination of hormones.

The pill comes in 2 types, a 21 day cycle and a 28 day cycle. The 21 day cycle consists of 21 pills that contain the hormones. The 28 day cycle consists of 21 pills that contain the hormones and 7 pills that are sugar pills. The sugar pills are the placebo pills, usually taken so the woman doesn't forget to take her pills. You take the 21 pills that contain the hormone and then have a 7 day break, in which you get your "period". You then start taking your pills again and continue the cycle. The pill must be taken at the same time every day. If the pill is forgotten for more than 12 hours the effectiveness of the pill goes down. Some people take it at 5pm every day, some take it every morning when they are doing their makeup.

Your doctor may decide that you do not need your period every month and may tell you to only get your period every 3 or 4 months or even once a year. But you should discuss this with your doctor before you decide to do it. With longer periods of taking only the hormonal pills breakthrough bleeding is more likely to occur unexpectedly. Breakthrough bleeding is the same as spotting and is undesirable. However, the effectiveness of the pill does not change when you have breakthrough bleeding.

Side Effects

There are side effects to the pill, some minor and some more serious.

• Weight gain or weight loss
• Increased acne
• Decreased acne
• Decreased or increased vaginal lubrication
• Low sex drive
• Depression
• Increase in breast size
• Breast tenderness
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Increased blood pressure
• Reduced menstrual flow
• Blood Clots
• Stroke

Warnings

You shouldn't smoke on the pill, it can increase your risk for blood clots and stroke.

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