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What is the need for birth control pills?
Knowing about proper usage of birth control pills is necessary as the pills affect the hormones.  A birth control pill or a hormonal contraceptive prevents pregnancy. They are also sometimes called ‘The pill’ or oral contraception. These pills are used to either completely prevent or to plan and space out pregnancies. 

Perception for birth control pills
For proper usage of birth control pills it is necessary to understand “the pill”.  The simplest way, in which a hormonal contraceptive works is by preventing ovulation.  That means it prevents the egg from being released into the fallopian tube. If the egg is released it may then get fertilized by the male sperm resulting in unwanted pregnancy.  So if there is no egg – there is no fertilization.
 
Types of pills:
Regular birth control pills:  These are a set of 21 pills and have to be consumed one per day.  Ten days after the last pill are considered safe days as it takes that much time for ovulation or forming a new egg.  Four days after the last pill; the menstrual bleeding begins.  Hence the non-pill days overlap with the safe days. These pills are again of two types – those which act on only one hormone and those which affect two hormones for prevention of pregnancy. 

Emergency birth control pill:  In the case of unprotected sex or failure of other contraceptive measures, the emergency pill is necessary.  It is a single-dose pill which needs to be taken within seventy-two hours of intercourse for it to be effective.  In this case the egg has already been released so the pill prevents it from either being fertilized by the sperm; or if already fertilized, it prevents it from attaching itself to the womb.  Either way pregnancy can be avoided. 

An emergency pill will not work if you are already in the very early stages of pregnancy and haven’t noticed the signs.  Also it cannot be used as a regular form of birth control or oral contraception.  Also, if the subsequent menstrual period does not occur despite intake of emergency pill, a pregnancy test needs to be carried out.
 
Points to consider during selection of a pill:
Selection of the appropriate hormonal contraception under medical guidance is essential for proper usage of birth control pills.  While prescribing, various factors are considered like woman’s state of health and age; whether she already has children; the frequency of sex; number of sexual partners etc.  Also, if there is a family history of cardiovascular diseases, alternative methods of contraception would be advised as the pill can sometimes cause blood clotting and consequent heart problems.
 
Some must-dos and never-dos:
Inform your physician of any family history of heart diseases.  Try not to miss the pill; and if you miss for 3-4 days in a row, inform your physician who can suggest additional contraceptive methods.  Start the pill exactly after the last day of menstrual bleeding.  This keeps the menstrual cycle in the month perfect.  Random or sporadic intake of pills should be avoided at all costs.  In case of chest pain, nausea or severe and recurrent headaches, please inform your physician immediately.  These measures are beneficial in the long term proper usage of birth control pills.
 

Tags : Woman, gynecologist, Medical, Birth control