Oral Contraceptives

Commonly known as “the pill”, oral contraceptives are one of the most effective reversible methods of birth control that consist of two synthetic female hormones - estrogen and progesterone. It inhibits the monthly release of the egg from the ovaries, and thus prevents pregnancy. If taken properly in appropriate dosage, it can be highly effective. However, in order to ensure 100% safety, it is recommended to use a second form of contraception the first seven days of the first cycle. At the same times, you must also keep in mind that oral contraceptives do not protect a woman against sexually transmitted disease.

Advantages
The best among the numerous benefits of taking oral contraceptive pills is that it significantly outweighs any risks for most women.
• Lighter and shorter monthly periods (every 28 days)
• Decreased menstrual cramping
• Reduced incidence of benign ovarian cysts, ectopic pregnancy, pelvic inflammatory disease, anemia, rheumatoid arthritis, and most importantly, endometrial cancer and ovarian cancer.
However, you must keep in mind that if a woman stops its intake, it will not decrease the chances of pregnancy.

Caution
Oral contraceptives do not have any side effect, but sometimes some women may face certain problems because of this. It is strongly recommended to consult your doctor, if any or all of the following symptoms occur after taking the pills.
• Vision disturbance, blurred vision, flashing lights
• Severe headaches
• Unusual leg pain in calf or thigh
• Severe Chest pain, shortness of breath, or coughing up blood
• Severe Abdominal pain
If you have Other Health Problems
Fibrous growths of the uterus, heart or kidney disease, depression, diabetes, thyroid disease, migraine headaches, or epilepsy – if you have any such specific health problems, it is a must for you to consult your doctor before taking these pills. In certain cases, such as if you have an old problem of blood clotting anywhere in your body, cancer of the breast or uterus, or liver disease, you should seriously avoid oral contraceptive pills. If you use the pills in these cases, either the pills will lose their effectiveness, or it will further make your health problems worse.

Side Effects
If you do not have any specific healthy problems as mentioned above, the oral contraceptive pills can be very effective. Still, sometimes, some women complain of certain side effects that might be annoying but are not harmful at all. They are in fact temporary changes that tend to disappear in the first three to four cycles. In order to evaluate how you are adjusting, it is strongly recommended to remain on the pill for at least three cycles. The most common side effect is experiencing nausea. In order to avoid this, you should start taking the pill along with a snack or with a meal just before you go to bed. Some women also complain depression or loss of interest in sex. Well, the best treatment for this is exercise and a healthy diet and lifestyle.

Still, if you have any concerns or questions regarding the use of these pills, do not hesitate to consult your doctor.

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