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Birth Control Pills: Effective ways of Birth Control

Around the world, some different birth control options are being used by women. What option is to be used is the personal choice of every woman. However, the most common kind of birth control option that women usually go with is birth control pills. These pills are often known as oral contraceptives because a female takes it in her body through her mouth so that she can avoid pregnancy during intercourse. They are said to be a very effective method of birth control.

The following article will help you understand the different kinds of birth control options available, how effective they are, and what are the different risks as well as benefits of the same.

Different kinds of Birth control pills you can choose from!

These are the pills that contain two types of synthetic hormones which are estrogen as well as progestin. Some of the pills out of all these pills are active while the others remain fairly inactive. There are some combination pills that are available to women and may include the following:

These are the pills that are used in the one month cycle and are the ones that include various levels of hormones. This kind of pill is taken during the first three weeks and in the last week; it is taken so that the woman can have her periods.

It is also a pill that is used in a one month cycle. The difference between this and the multiphasic pill is that in the case of this type, each pill contains the same amount and type of hormones. In this kind of pill as well, a woman must start taking inactive pills in the last week so that she can have her periods.

Kind of a pill is used for a 13-week cycle. In the process of taking this kind of a pill, a woman takes the active pills for about 12 weeks and then takes the inactive pills in the last week as to be able to have her period. It is because of this pill that a woman may be able to have her periods only 3 to 4 times a year.

These are the kind of pills that are very different from that of the combination of pills. This means that rather than having both estrogen and progestin, this kind of pill consists of only progestin and not estrogen. This kind of pill is the most suitable for women who cannot take estrogen because of several different reasons. The thing with these kinds of pills is that all of them are active. This means that while taking this pill a woman may or may not get her period.

How to decide the appropriate pill for yourself?

The first thing before deciding to take oral contraceptives that women should take care of is that not all kinds of pills are suitable for all women. The kind of pill that you should go in for would depend on several factors like the following:

  1. Menstrual Cycle
  2. Whether a woman is breastfeeding or not
  3. The overall heart health of the woman since the pill contains artificial hormones which can have side effects on the body of the woman.
  4. Any serious health condition that a woman has.
  5. Any medications that are being taken by the woman.

How to use Birth control pills?

Both the combination and progestin pills work in very different ways because of which they should be taken in a very different manner from one another.

In the case of the combination of pills, it is seen that they come in a variety of forms. The monthly pack of the pills can be followed in three ways 21 days, 24 days, and 28 days. The extended version of the pill can be used for 91 days. To do this, it is important for the individual to each pill every day at the same time.

In the case of the progestin pills, it comes in a 28-day pack only and with these pills as well the individual has to take one pill every day at the same time.

What is the effectiveness of Birth control pills?

It is an extremely effective way of contraception provided it is used in the right manner. There is a very slight chance of failure in the case of both the combination as well as the progestin pill. To act in a fully effective manner, the progestin pills must be taken at the same time every day. Combination pills, on the other hand, can work with a little more flexibility. The only time when the pill can prove to be less effective is when other medications are being taken simultaneously and also if the woman is suffering from any stomach illness. Therefore, it can be seen as one of the most effective ways of contraception.

Benefits of taking Birth control pills

They are seen as one of the most effective and easy ways of contraception. It is one of those ways which provides a lot of benefits to women as well which are as follows:

  1. They are a sure-shot way of protection and you wouldn’t have to worry about sex while being intimate.
  2. They are one of the most effective options for birth control.
  3. It also helps in regulating your menstrual cycle.
  4. They are reversible and once stopped can always make you pregnant.

Risks of taking Birth control pills

Every aspect of life has some positive and negative effects. The same is with birth control pills. Some of the risks of birth control pills are as follows:

  1. It can decrease your sex drive. Yes! If taken too frequently it can have an impact on your sex drive.
  2. It can cause a lot of nausea which is not very easy to deal with.
  3. It also causes bleeding between periods.
  4. It sometimes leads to the tenderness of breasts.

Conclusion

As stated, birth control pills are one of the most effective ways of birth control. However, women should first assess their health and other circumstances and then take the appropriate pill accordingly to ensure the right kind of effectiveness.

Amanda Barrell
Amanda B

Amanda is a freelance health and medical education journalist, editor, and copywriter. She has worked on projects for pharma, charities, and agencies, and has written extensively for patients, healthcare professionals, and the general public.

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