Article Medically Reviewed By:
Linda Dominguez, RN-C, NP
Overview
What Is It?
Birth control pills are synthetic forms of the hormones progesterone and estrogen taken by women to prevent pregnancy. The birth control pill prevents ovulation by maintaining more consistent hormone levels. Without a peak in estrogen, the ovary doesn't get the signal to release an egg, which eliminates the possibility of fertilization and pregnancy.
So you've decided to use birth control pills for contraception, but all the choices seem confusing. It's no wonder, with more than 40 oral contraceptive products available in the United States today, not to mention all the other forms of birth control. This guide can help you understand the various types of oral contraceptives and some of the pros and cons.
Since the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved "the pill" in 1960, it has become the most popular and one of the most effective forms of reversible birth control ever invented. Among U.S. couples who use birth control, nearly one-third use the pill.
In recent years, birth control pills have changed to include less hormones, resulting in fewer side effects. In fact, almost all healthy women who don't smoke may use birth control pills, regardless of their age. Unlike the original oral contraceptives, low-dose pills have few health risks and even offer some health benefits.
Despite the fact that they are safe for most women, birth control pills do carry some health risks. For example, if you are over 35 and smoke or have certain medical conditions such as a history of blood clots or breast or endometrial cancer, your health care professional may advise against taking oral contraceptives. Also, birth control pills do not protect you from sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), including HIV (human immunodeficiency virus), the virus that causes AIDS, or HPV, the human papillomavirus that can cause cervical cancer.
Unlike other forms of birth control sold over-the-counter, you need a health care professional's prescription to purchase birth control pills, and many health insurers cover their cost. The one exception is the emergency birth control pill, Plan B One-Step, which is sold over the counter.
How Do Birth Control Pills Work?
Put simply, birth control pills work by regulating your hormones to prevent ovulation, the release of an egg each month. If there is no egg available to be fertilized, you can't get pregnant.
More specifically, here's how it works: At the beginning of each menstrual cycle, levels of the hormone estrogen begin to rise. Estrogen helps thicken the bloody lining of the uterus (endometrium) to prepare for a fertilized egg. Once estrogen levels peak, about 14 days into the menstrual cycle, one of the ovaries releases one or more eggs—this release is called ovulation.
After ovulation, levels of another reproductive hormone—progesterone—rise to help prepare the uterus to receive a fertilized egg by thickening ...
Click here to read more from Healthy Women
