Birth Control

SUMMARY

Birth control is any type of medicine that is used to prevent pregnancy. There are many different ways of administering birth control. They can include oral pills, implants, patches, and vaginal ring. They work by preventing women from ovulating thus making them infertile and incapable of having children.

There are two main types of birth control, progestin and combined. Progestin pills work by creating changes within the mucous of the cervix. This makes it difficult for sperm to travel through the cervix and cause pregnancy. They also work to prevent ovulation, but do not succeed in stopping ovulation from occurring in all women who decide to take them. They only contain the hormone progestin.

Combined pills work by preventing ovulation from occurring at all. If no egg is present, it is not possible for a woman to get pregnant. Combined pills contain both progestin and estrogen.

Birth control pills not only work to prevent pregnancy, but also can treat a number of other symptoms that many women suffer from. They are commonly used to reduce the length and severity of menstrual periods. They have been known to reduce the risk of ovary and uterus cancer as well as the risk of pelvic inflammatory disease. Some birth control pills can also reduce acne.

COMMON SIDE EFFECTS

Birth control pills come with a number of side effects. Many women experience common headaches and dizziness spells when taking birth control pills. Breast tenderness can also be a frequent side effect due to the changes in hormone levels that can come with birth control pills. Nausea is also common for women who use birth control pills.

Birth control pills can often impact the amount and frequency of menstrual bleeding. Many women suffer from bleeding that occurs at random times in small amounts. This is known as “spotting” and is often associated with the use of birth control pills. These drugs have also been known to change the lengths of women’s menstrual cycles. Birth control pills have also gained a reputation for reducing the libido of women using them. Sexual desire is often decreased. Many women experience mood swings and changes in emotions that are different than what they experience when not using birth control pills.

Birth control pills have long been associated with the increased risk of developing blood clots. One of the more popular birth control option that has come out over the past few years is Yaz. This birth control pill has been shown to increase the risk of blood clots developing by almost seven times that of other contraceptives. When blood clots form, many other dangerous problems can develop. Sometimes, blood clots can form deep within the veins of the leg. This is a condition known as a deep vein thrombosis. This condition can cause pain and swelling and the leg as well as tenderness in the area. On some occasions, the blood clot can leave the vein within the leg and travel to other areas of the body. When this happens, there is a great risk for heart attack, stroke, pulmonary embolisms, and death. There is more information about these side effects at the Yaz, Yasmin, and Ocella Side Effects Page.