Having a family remains an exciting possibility for many men and women throughout the world. Kids are one of the main meaning of life for many people. Though, many individuals seem forward to having a baby, there are still those who aren’t ready for that major step. Consequently, for these people, use of birth control pills is an important requirement.
Undoubtedly, there is a big quantity of different classes of contraception on the market. Learning the basics of each kind of birth control is essential to those that wish the best results. Though, you have to examine a few points before you (or your woman) begin taking birth control medicine.
Contraceptive pills are effective 99,9% if used correctly. Though, they do not protect from diseases, that come from physical intercourse. If you decide that pills are what you need, get recommendations from a specialist in this field.
Types of oral contraception and their effect
There are basically two types of oral contraception. These are combination pills and minipills. Combination pills have two types of hormones: estrogen and progestin. On the other hand, minipills contain progestin only.
Combination-Birth Control Pills
Combination pills come in various amounts of active and invactive pills. Their amount depends on how often you prefer your periods to come. Thus, you can categorize combination pills into two :
- Conventional pills. According to Mayo-Clinic, conventional birth-control pills constitute a sum of twenty eight pills. Thus, there are 21 active and 7 inactive pills. Sometimes, there are 24 active and 4 inactive pills. Periods come once a month, as soon as you start having inactive pills. Importantly, condoms remain recommended through the first month to prevent accidental pregnancy.
- Continuous birth control pills. Ladies, who use continuous birth control medicines can get the period only 4 times a year. This is unlike conventional birth pills, that stimulate menstruation on a monthly basis. Often, you find continuous birth-control pills in package of 84 active pills and 7 inactive pills. Also you might choose combination of pills which guarantee full absence of periods.
How do they work?
It’s worth mentioning that combination pills can contain different dosage of hormones. So, there are pills that contain equal doses of both estrogen and progestin. On the contrary, other pills have differing doses of these hormones. Some women are sensitive to hormones. Therefore, they need low- dose active pills. Such medicines usually contain about 50 micrograms of estrogen (or other type of hormone which is similar to estrogen). However, low-dose pills more likely lead to breakthrough bleeding.
While taking combination pills, a woman prevents the process of ovulation. Meaning that the ovaries stop releasing an egg. Moreover, combination pills thicken cervical mucus. In addition, lining of the uterus becomes thinner. Consequently preventing the sperm from joining the egg.
Minipills
Minipills contain progestin hormone only. Accordingly, they are also good for women that are sensitive to estrogen. There are only active pills. When a woman takes minipills, it makes her cervical mucus thicker. Also, the lining of the uterus becomes thinner. Minipills are good for breastfeeding women. Moreover, they are a good option for smokers and those suffering from heart diseases.
Side-effects of oral contraception
Contraception might cause certain side-effects. For instance, nausea, weight-changes, breakthrough-bleeding, blood-glucose disturbance. Also, a woman might face mood-swings, hypertension, clot-formation in legs and lung veins. Besides, though rarely, there is a chance of having genital-carcinomas. Therefore, a specialist should thoroughly examine you before choosing particular contraceptives.
Effectiveness and other advantages
If you take the pills correctly, the effectiveness is really high. Thus, approximately in 91% of cases the protection against undesirable pregnancy is guaranteed. It means that only 9 out of 100 women taking oral contraception might get pregnant. Notably, there is no difference which pills (combination or minipills) they are taking. In order to increase the efficiency of the pills, we recommend to take them approximately at the same time every day. If you don’t want to forget, you might use a special reminder.
However, if you miss a pill, then its possible to take 2 pills at once the next day. Only if you realized that after a considerable time. What is “considerable time” depends on the type of the pills you take. Thus, combination pills must be taken within the same 3-hour period everyday. In turn, minipills allow taking them within 12-hour window and still remaining protected. More information on how you should take additional pill in case of missing the right time, consult a specialist.
There are number of other advantages that oral contraception provides. First, you can regulate your periods. Periods become less painful and fewer. Moreover, there are cases of releasing from PMS. Second of all, this type of birth control is flexible. You can stop taking them any time you want and get pregnant very soon. Third of all, specialists sometimes prescribe oral contraceptives to stop heavy periods. That is because heavy periods are not really good for female health. Moreover, you prevent the probability of having anemia. Also, the pills protect against acne, bone thinning, ectopic pregnancy, and some types of cancer.
IMPORTANT
The information we have provided in this article is a general recommendation. The type of pills you can take depends on your medical history (e.g. what diseases you have, whether you take other medicines, etc.). Therefore, it’s important to consult a specialist in this field.
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