The oral contraceptive pills or The Pill are best for women on move. They are a combination of hormones and are perfectly safe and highly effective. Let us take an overview of the oral contraceptive pill.The oral contraceptive pills are also known as birth pills and falls under the category of hormonal birth control procedure. Their effectiveness is found to be very high in preventing unwanted pregnancies. In this articleHow do They Work?How Effective is the Pill?Apart from Birth Control, the Pill has several Other BenefitsPossible Side Effects of Oral Contraceptive PillHow do They Work?They are popularly known as just The Pill and come in the form of tiny tablets that the woman needs to swallow everyday. The pills usually constitute of two varieties of female hormones namely, estrogen and progestin that are generally produced be her ovaries. Since two types of hormones are involved here, these pills are also called combination oral contraceptives. The pills function by preventing pregnancy through the effective suppression of the pituitary gland. This results in the halt and development and release of the ova or egg during the ovulation period of the woman. The progestin in the pill works by preventing the sperm from coming contact with the egg. It basically alters the lining of the uterus. There is another type of pill that constitutes just a single hormone - the progestin and is popularly known as the progestin only pill or the Mini Pill. It also suppresses the ovulation and helps in preventing the male sperm from coming in contact with the ovum. It is believed that the combined pill that contains both the estrogen and progestin is better or more effective in comparison to the mini pill. But the mini pill is recommended for women who experience adverse effect to the estrogen in the combined pill as they do not react well with their system. How Effective is the Pill?If the directions are strictly followed like one pill every day, the pill is found to be very effective in preventing pregnancies. The effectiveness can be further increased if it is coupled with other female contraceptive options like the use of condoms. It can also greatly reduce the risks of contacting STDs. The combination pill is said to be 99% effective. But it must be clearly understood that just on its own the birth control pills of both varieties are not at all effective in preventing STDs. Apart from Birth Control, the Pill has several Other Benefits:The woman has regular and lighter periods as the abnormal menstrual cycle gets regulated in some women who are suffering from irregular periods.The menstrual cramps are also reduced to a great extent with the regular usage of oral contraceptive pills.As the menstrual bleeding gets controlled, the women tend to be less anemic.The pill can also effective reduce the risks of future possibility of endometrial and ovarian cancer, and ovarian cysts.Chances of PID-Pelvic inflammatory disease or the infection of the fallopian tubes is reduced. The oral contraceptive pill improves skin condition by curing or lessening acne. It is the hormone that prevents acne formation. And the patient needs to be really patient to see good results.Possible Side Effects of Oral Contraceptive PillSome women are reported to have irregular menstrual cycles, experience nausea, headaches and fluctuating body weight. The nausea usually goes away after the system gets gradually accustomed to the pill. The doctor controls the headache if it is directly related to the pill and not regular stress, by lowering the estrogen levels in the pill. There can be very light bleeding or spotting during the first couple of weeks of having the pill or when the pill is stopped all of a sudden.Fluctuating moods can be experienced along with soreness or enlarged breasts.In rare cases, blood clots in the legs or lungs can happen. Most of the side effects are temporary. The health care provider can successfully deal with them through associative medications and they naturally go away within 3-4 cycles.
The oral contraceptive pills or The Pill are best for women on move. They are a combination of hormones and are perfectly safe and highly effective. Let us take an overview of the oral contraceptive pill.The oral contraceptive pills are also known as birth pills and falls under the category of hormonal birth control procedure. Their effectiveness is found to be very high in preventing unwanted pregnancies.
How do They Work?
They are popularly known as just The Pill and come in the form of tiny tablets that the woman needs to swallow everyday. The pills usually constitute of two varieties of female hormones namely, estrogen and progestin that are generally produced be her ovaries. Since two types of hormones are involved here, these pills are also called combination oral contraceptives.
The pills function by preventing pregnancy through the effective suppression of the pituitary gland. This results in the halt and development and release of the ova or egg during the ovulation period of the woman. The progestin in the pill works by preventing the sperm from coming contact with the egg. It basically alters the lining of the uterus.
There is another type of pill that constitutes just a single hormone - the progestin and is popularly known as the progestin only pill or the Mini Pill. It also suppresses the ovulation and helps in preventing the male sperm from coming in contact with the ovum.
It is believed that the combined pill that contains both the estrogen and progestin is better or more effective in comparison to the mini pill. But the mini pill is recommended for women who experience adverse effect to the estrogen in the combined pill as they do not react well with their system.
How Effective is the Pill?
If the directions are strictly followed like one pill every day, the pill is found to be very effective in preventing pregnancies. The effectiveness can be further increased if it is coupled with other female contraceptive options like the use of condoms. It can also greatly reduce the risks of contacting STDs. The combination pill is said to be 99% effective. But it must be clearly understood that just on its own the birth control pills of both varieties are not at all effective in preventing STDs.
Apart from Birth Control, the Pill has several Other Benefits:
- The woman has regular and lighter periods as the abnormal menstrual cycle gets regulated in some women who are suffering from irregular periods.
- The menstrual cramps are also reduced to a great extent with the regular usage of oral contraceptive pills.
- As the menstrual bleeding gets controlled, the women tend to be less anemic.
- The pill can also effective reduce the risks of future possibility of endometrial and ovarian cancer, and ovarian cysts.
- Chances of PID-Pelvic inflammatory disease or the infection of the fallopian tubes is reduced.
- The oral contraceptive pill improves skin condition by curing or lessening acne. It is the hormone that prevents acne formation. And the patient needs to be really patient to see good results.
Possible Side Effects of Oral Contraceptive Pill
- Some women are reported to have irregular menstrual cycles, experience nausea, headaches and fluctuating body weight.
- The nausea usually goes away after the system gets gradually accustomed to the pill. The doctor controls the headache if it is directly related to the pill and not regular stress, by lowering the estrogen levels in the pill.
- There can be very light bleeding or spotting during the first couple of weeks of having the pill or when the pill is stopped all of a sudden.
- Fluctuating moods can be experienced along with soreness or enlarged breasts.
- In rare cases, blood clots in the legs or lungs can happen.
Most of the side effects are temporary. The health care provider can successfully deal with them through associative medications and they naturally go away within 3-4 cycles.
