With the correct observance of all the rules of taking birth control pills, their effectiveness reaches 99%. Despite many advantages of such a contraceptive, only very few women use it. Why? Perhaps, because of the fear of side effects of drugs ... Let's try to understand all the pros and cons: benefits, the principle of action, possible harm, side effects, as well as existing myths and misconceptions. Another name for contraceptive pills is oral contraceptives. The principle of action is based on the content in the preparations of hormonal substances, close to those produced by the female body.
The main division of existing oral contraceptives into monophasic (or mini-pili, ie, those containing only one hormone - progesterone) and combined (containing progesterone + estrogen). So an additional dose of hormones enters the body of the woman, while the process of ovulation is suspended (development and release of the egg is difficult), and mucus in the cervix, interferes with the activity of spermatozoa.
In general, when choosing the pill, the doctor takes into account the age, the woman gave birth or not, as well as the presence of hormonal disorders in the body.
Mini-pili are taken every day, starting from the first day of menstruation. If the tablet is not taken on time, then its effect ends after 48 hours, and the risk of conception increases significantly.
Combined funds are taken every 12 hours. If this is not done, then you must accept and missed the pill, even if it's time to take the next one. In this case, the effectiveness of the drug is reduced for the next 7 days, so you will have to take advantage of additional contraceptives. The same applies to cases, if during the use of tablets you need to take antibiotics.
Contraindications to the use of oral contraceptives are diseases of the gallbladder and liver, disorders of the menstrual cycle of nulliparous women, malignant tumors. Do not accept contraceptive pills during pregnancy, as well as breastfeeding ; it is not recommended to use them for women after 40 years, as well as smoking after 35 years.
Possible side effects of taking oral contraceptives: false pregnancy (nausea, vomiting, mammary glands, irritability, headaches, etc.), decreased sexual desire, weight gain, thrush.
If side effects manifest themselves strongly, then it is necessary to consult about the possibility of changing the drug. But you can change the drug or stop using it after the end of the use of the package.
The action of tablets is significantly hampered by smoking, high doses of alcohol, taking antibiotics, antidepressants, analgesics.
During the period of taking hormonal contraceptives, the possibility of pregnancy is not only reduced to a minimum, but the menstrual cycle and pain with it are also normalized, and the risk of cancer of the breast and genital organs is reduced.
Now about the widespread myths about the consequences of taking birth control pills. Young girls are not contra-indicated modern contraceptives with a low content of hormones, the effectiveness of which is also high. In addition, the use of oral contraceptives helps to cope with skin problems (acne and acne on the body and face).
A common claim is that the contraceptive pills grow hair on the face (mustache and beard). This myth originated at the dawn of the development of oral contraceptives (in the 60s), when the content of hormones in them was quite high. Present preparations exclude such possibility. Tablets with a lot of hormones are intended only for the treatment of gynecological diseases. Another myth is the risk of a significant increase in body weight, which is also associated with a large proportion of hormones in some drugs.
Hormonal contraceptives do not affect the development of infertility, contrary to popular belief.
Experts believe that the period of taking birth control pills can be as long as the woman will need and this will not affect her health in any way and will not lead to harmful consequences. The breaks in taking oral contraceptives on the contrary are undesirable. Because the body has to rebuild from one regime to another.
Pregnancy can come already in 1-2 months after the end of oral contraceptives.
The rules for taking hormonal contraceptives. Take the pill every day at the same time. Before using, carefully study the annotations and clarify all questions of interest to the doctor. Sufficient protection from unwanted pregnancy is guaranteed only from the time of taking the second package of the drug.
Remember that regarding birth control pills and their consequences, it is better to always consult a doctor. After all, any advertisement will not give you accurate and objective data. It can only be done by a real professional. Remember, too, that oral contraception will not protect you from sexually transmitted diseases.