The Birth Control Pill

The Birth Control Pill

What are birth control pills

Birth control pills, also called oral contraceptives, contain hormones like estrogen and progesterone. There are two kinds of pills, combination pills and mini pills. The mini pill is so called because it contains only progesterone. However, 99% of all pills are combination pills, which contain both estrogen and progesterone. If you are starting on birth control pills, you should start them on the fifth day of your period, regardless of whether bleeding has stopped.

Should one take these pills during menstruation

All combination birth control pills come in packages of 21 or 28 pills. If the pack contains 21 pills, then the woman should take the pill each day, at roughly the same time, for 21 days. She should then stop taking the pill for 7 days (during which time she will most likely menstruate) and then start again on the next pack of 21 pills. If the pack contains 28 pills, the woman is expected to have a pill for 28 days, and then without missing a day, start with the next pack (regardless of her periods). The reason is that the pack of 28 pills contains not only 21 hormone pills, but also 7 'blank' pills with no active ingredients.

What if I forget to take the birth control pill one day

If you forget to take one pill then take two pills the next day. If you miss two pills in the third week of the pill pack, then start a new pack immediately because this is your fertile period.

Can I take the birth control pill if I am breast-feeding

You should not take the combination birth control pills if you are breast-feeding because it may decrease the quantity of milk supply. The doctor can prescribe you the mini pill instead.

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