Description
Birth control pills are one of the most commonly used forms of birth control.
There are two different types of birth control pills
Combined pills (known as combined oral contraceptives or COCs)
They have both estrogen and progestin (most common type of pill)
Progestin-only pills (known as POPs or mini pills)
They do not have estrogen, they only have progestin
How do birth control pills work to prevent pregnancy?
They prevent sperm from joining an egg to stop fertilization
They can stop ovulation so there is no egg available for fertilization
They thicken the cervical mucus so sperm cannot swim to an egg
How effective is the birth control pill at preventing pregnancy?
If used perfectly they are 99% effective, but in the real-world we do not always use these perfectly. It is effective 93% in real-world practice.
Side Effects
Remember that some people have side effects with medication but not everyone and they do not have every side effect.
Some of the more common side effects are headaches, nausea, breast tenderness, changes in your menstrual cycle, spotting.
Many times side effects improve within 2-3 months if you continue the medication.
There are many different types of pills and if you have bothersome side effects but like this format to prevent pregnancy, talk to your provider about switching to a different pill.
