Are Birth Control Pills Safe?
Oral contraceptives, usually known as birth control tablets, are a safe and effective way to avoid pregnancy.
Oral Contraceptives: How Do They Work?
The majority of oral contraceptives include a mix of estrogen and progestin hormones. Both of these hormones are prevalent in the bodies of women. There are a variety of estrogens and progestins, and various types of tablets contain different combinations, but they all act in the same way. Some tablets, known as “mini-pills,” contain solely progestin.
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Who is eligible to use oral contraceptives?
The most critical need for women who use oral contraceptives is that they remember to take them on a daily basis at around the same time. When doses are missed regularly, oral contraceptives are not a good type of pregnancy control. Combination oral contraceptives should not be administered to smokers over 35 years old, or to women with high blood pressure, heart illness, migraines with auras, liver issues, extremely high cholesterol, a history of blood clots, a history of stroke, or breast cancer.
How Do You Take Oral Contraceptives?
Oral contraceptives are commonly administered for four weeks at a period, with four to seven days of hormone-free tablets in each four-week packet. During these hormone-free days, women receive their menstruation. Some medications provide “extended” or “continuous” hormone dose with fewer or no hormone-free days, allowing women to have their periods less frequently than once a month. Oral contraceptives can be used at any time of the week and during the menstrual cycle. Before starting oral contraceptives, all women should have a pregnancy test to ensure they are not already pregnant. For the first seven days after beginning, women should use “backup” birth control, such as condoms.
Effectiveness
The likelihood of conception is 0.1 percent if birth control tablets are used correctly (100 percent of the time). In the actual world, taking into account missed days of usage, the likelihood of conception is around 8% every year.
Side Effects
The hormone levels and kinds of oral contraceptives have different side effects. Some of the side effects include vaginal spotting and atypical bleeding (which normally goes away after 3 months), breast pain, bloating, and nausea. Birth control tablets have not been demonstrated to cause significant weight gain in studies.
Other than birth control, oral contraceptives may offer certain advantages. They can assist with painful periods or premenstrual syndromes, polycystic ovarian syndrome, acne, uterine fibroids, and endometriosis.
Oral contraceptives do not protect against sexually transmitted infections, which is crucial to understand. When used concurrently, various drugs (such as antibiotics, seizure medications, and antidepressants) might alter the effectiveness of birth control tablets. Because oral contraceptives might affect the efficacy of other prescriptions, it’s critical to notify your doctor about all of your current medications. There are other additional options for birth control. If you have any questions regarding oral contraceptives or other kinds of birth control, go to your doctor.
