Contraception

Methods of Contraception: Contraceptive Methods for Women

"The Pill"
Contraceptive pills are made of synthetic hormones, either alone (progestin) or in combination (progestin and estrogen). These hormones are similar to those produced by a woman's ovaries. The pills prevent any egg from being released from the ovaries, and they may also change the quality of the cervical mucus. This, in turn, may make it more difficult for the sperm to enter the uterus. As a result, the woman cannot become pregnant.
The pills come in packages made to last one month. One pill is taken every day for 20 or 21 days beginning with the fifth day of the menstrual cycle. When the package is empty, the woman stops taking any more pills until the fifth day of her new menstrual cycle. (Some packages contain 28 pills, the last seven without medication.)
The pills can work only if taken regularly. It is advisable, therefore, to take the pill every day at the same time (e.g., when waking up, brushing one's teeth in the morning, at breakfast, at supper, or going to bed). Such a daily routine will prevent a woman from forgetting a pill. If she does forget one pill, she can take two pills the next day at the regular time and continue as usual. However, if she forgot two pills in a row, she should also use another contraceptive method for the rest of the cycle.
Contraceptive pills are available only on prescription, since there are some women who should not take them. Among these are women who smoke and cannot give up smoking. Also women over forty may face some risks. In any case, a medical examination is always necessary before prescribing the pill. Together with her doctor, each woman then has to decide whether the pill is appropriate in her individual case.
Some women who take contraceptive pills at first experience some symptoms similar to those of pregnancy: a weight gain, slight nausea, as well as a tenderness and an enlargement of the breasts. These side effects usually disappear within a few months. However, if they persist, a switch to another brand of pills may be indicated.
Effectiveness: almost 100 percent.