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Working and Side Effects Birth Control Pills

Birth Control Pills - Are They For You?

The other ladies were all talking about their birth control methods, and they seemed happy to have found something that worked for them. A couple other wives wanted children, so, of course, they were not interested. But now, you have decided that you don't want children right now, and you've been wondering if birth control pills are for you. Here are five tips to help you decide.

How Effective Are Birth Control Pills?

Among the various methods used for contraceptives, the birth control pills are probably the most effective. With 99% effectiveness, that's about as high as you can get. The one factor that provides this degree of prevention; however is that they must be taken daily. For those who are not quite as regular in taking the pills, the safety level drops down to 95% - still good. It only takes the missing of one day to make this difference.

Although pills are effective, some types of medicines will reduce it as well. These are medicines for antiseizure, TB, migraine headaches, and antibiotics. Let your doctor know if you are taking any of these.

How Does A Birth Control Pill Work?

Birth control pills basically work by deceiving your body. It supplies your body with the hormones that it would normally generate if you were pregnant - estrogen and progestin.

The pill, or oral contraceptive (OC's), is one of two types. The first, and most common, is a combined OC, which contains both of the necessary hormones. The other, referred to as a minipill, only contains progestin.

The combined OC is the more effective of the two. It does a more thorough job by:

• reducing hormones that cause an egg to be developed and released
• limits movement of sperm by thickening cervical mucus
• makes implantation of the egg very difficult

The mini pill, however, is not as efficient, but rather works to prevent the developed egg's ability to travel, blocks sperm in the same way, and will only attempt to prevent (limited) implantation.

Birth control pills usually come in a single package with a one month's supply of either 21 or 28 pills. These are taken, one per day, for three weeks. Then, the 21 pack supplies no pills for the seven days, while the 28 day pack does. These seven extra pills are merely spacer pills to help you keep in the habit of taking the pills everyday, but they contain no hormones. Either way, your period commences when you stop taking the pills with the hormones.

A newer type of pill can also reduce how often you have your period by supplying you with hormone pills for 12 weeks and 7 spacer pills with no hormones. This will effectively cut back your periods to only four times a year.

Are They For Everybody?

Although birth control pills are very effective in preventing conception, it still is not made for everyone. Every girl has a different body, and there are some medical conditions which make taking it inadvisable. Because different manufacturers each make their own version a little different, sometimes a little trial and error needs to take place to find one that is just right for you.

If you have any of the following medical conditions, it would mean that you should not take it:

• high blood pressure
• cancers – known or suspected
• certain types of migraine headaches
• or uncontrolled diabetes
• liver disease
• history of heart attack, or a stroke

Of course, if there are other medical problems, talk to your doctor about them, and he can help you the best with your situation.

Are there any side effects?

Side effects may occur while taking birth control pills. They can be increased if you smoke. They are as follows:

• Nausea
• Irregular bleeding or spotting
• Tenderness of breast
• Weight gain
• Water retention
• Mood changes

Most of them will disappear after 2-3 months.

More serious complications may be indicated by the following symptoms. These require that you call your doctor immediately.

• Abdominal pains that are severe
• Chest pain accompanied with shortness of breath
• Severe leg or arm pain (or numbness)
• Problems with the eyes – blurred vision, etc.
• Severe headaches

In closing, it needs to be said that birth control pills, while being effective against conception, are not a means to stop the transmission of aids, or any other sexually transmitted disease.

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