What Are Birth Control Pills?
Birth control pills are a form of contraception that uses hormones to prevent a pregnancy. Birth control pills come in a pack, and you take 1 pill every day. The pill is safe, affordable, and effective if you always take your pill on time.
You take the pill by mouth to prevent pregnancy, and when taken correctly, it’s up to 99.9% effective. But the pill doesn’t protect you from sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV.
How do birth control pills prevent pregnancy?
The birth control pill works by stopping sperm from joining with an egg. When sperm joins with an egg it’s called fertilization.
The hormones in the pill safely stop ovulation. No ovulation means there’s no egg for sperm to fertilize, so pregnancy can’t happen. The pill’s hormones also thicken the mucus on the cervix. This thicker cervical mucus blocks sperm so it can’t swim to an egg — kind of like a sticky security guard.
Name of pills to prevent pregnancy
| Drug Name | Avg. Rating |
|---|---|
| Larissia (Pro) Generic name: ethinyl estradiol / levonorgestrel | 4.4 |
| Nora-Be (Pro) Generic name: norethindrone | 4.4 |
| Junel Fe 1.5/30 Generic name: ethinyl estradiol/norethindrone | 4.6 |
| Reclipsen (Pro) Generic name: desogestrel / ethinyl estradiol | 5.8 |
What exactly do birth control pills do?
How do the different birth control pills work? Combination birth control pills prevent your ovaries from releasing an egg. They also slow an egg’s progress through the fallopian tubes, thicken cervical mucus and thin the lining of the uterus (endometrium). All of these actions help keep sperm from joining the egg.
When should I pill be taken?
Take one I-Pill within 72 hours (three days) of contraception failure or unprotected sex for best results. If recommended by your doctor, you can take it for up to 5 days in special cases. However, the sooner you take the pill, the better your chances of not getting pregnant.
Are birth control pills 100% safe?
If you use it perfectly, the pill is 99% effective. But people aren’t perfect and it’s easy to forget or miss pills — so in reality the pill is about 93% effective. That means about 7 out of 100 pill users get pregnant each year.
Read More: Is It Safe To Have Sex During Your Period Tips, Benefits, And Side Effects
Can I pill delay periods?
It’s possible to delay or prevent your period with extended or continuous use of any combined estrogen-progestin birth control pill. Your doctor can recommend the best pill schedule for you, but generally, you skip the inactive pills in your pill pack and start right away on a new pack.
Are birth control pills good or bad?
Birth control pills are safe for most people. It’s the most commonly prescribed form of birth control. The pill has been available for more than 60 years, so there’s a long history of people using it safely to prevent pregnancy
What are the 5 methods of birth control?
Short-acting hormonal methods, such as the pill, mini-pill, patch, shot, and vaginal ring, prevent your ovaries from releasing eggs or prevent sperm from getting to the egg. Barrier methods, such as condoms, diaphragms, sponges, and cervical caps, prevent sperm from getting to the egg.
Which birth control is more safe?
A lot of women have concerns about the safety of IUDs, but IUDs are safer than both birth control pills and childbirth. Risks associated with an IUD are rare. The hormonal IUD contains a small amount of progestin that stops the sperm from fertilizing an egg and lasts up to 3-8 years.
Are condoms safe?
If used correctly every time you have sex, condoms are extremely effective at preventing STIs. Condoms are also 98% effective at preventing pregnancy. This means that 2 out of 100 women using male condoms as contraception will become pregnant in a year.