Wednesday, April 05, 2006
What You Should Know About Birth Control Pills
Birth control pills, also known as Oral Contraceptive Pills (OPCs), are prescription medications created to prevent pregnancy.
They are made up of a combination of hormones that are extremely similar to the two principal female hormones: estrogen and progesterone. OCPs interfere with the womans normal monthly cycle that results in ovulation (monthly release egg cell from the ovary).
Ovulation is stimulated by the natural monthly fluctuations in estrogen and progesterone. But the OCPs interfere with this action by providing steady levels of hormones, rather than fluctuating levels, thus preventing the stimulus for ovulation. In addition, the progesterone component of the pill causes the endometrium (lining of the uterus), to become thin and unable to support an early pregnancy.
The effectiveness of OCPs, when taken without ever missing a dose is 99.9 percent, on the other hand the effectiveness of the typical use is 97 percent. In other words, approximately 3 percent of women taking OCPs still may become pregnant.
There are many advantages to the use of OCPs as compared to other methods of birth control, which include:
- They are one of the most effective means of contraception when used as directed without missing doses
- The use of OCPs has been shown to decrease the lifetime risk of ovarian cancer by at least 40 percent
- Decreased menstrual cramps and pain
- Decrease the risk of uterine, or endometrial cancer by 50 percent
- They can be used by breast-feeding women immediately after delivery
- The effects are easily reversible
There are also a few disadvantages to the use of OCPs have been observed:
Common side effects include:
A few women will experience nausea after starting OCPs, an effect, which usually resolves after two to three months of use.
A few situations exist in which OCPs should not be prescribed. Women over the age of 35 who smoke are at a higher risk of stroke and heart attack and should not be prescribed OCPs. Any woman with a history of blood clots in the legs or lungs is at risk for recurrence if prescribed OCPs.
Women with abnormal vaginal bleeding need full evaluation before beginning birth control pills. Women who have been diagnosed with breast, uterine or liver cancer are not candidates for OCPs.
In summary, birth control pills are an excellent choice for contraception. OPCs combine excellent effectiveness with ease of use. Nevertheless, as with any prescription medication, a full medical examination by a physician familiar with the use of these drugs is mandatory before starting.
