Are contraceptive pills safe ?

Today we have reached the stage that rarely there should be an unplanned pregnancy because there are so many different methods available to control pregnancy. There are many different types of contraception methods available out of which you will be able to find the right method for you. Hormonal contraception is the most popular form of birth control.  Here there are some common questions which are related to oral contraceptive pill use and its effect on health.

With modern low dose pills, after you stop taking the pill, you may have only two-week delay before you ovulate again. Generally, normal period would follow about four to six weeks after you take the last pill. Once ovulation resumes, you can become pregnant. Age can be a factor that affects the fertility.

This is not true. In fact, according to research, it has been found that the use of pill significantly reduces the risk of cancer in reproductive organs such as cancer of uterus and ovary. The research findings had indicated that use of oral contraceptives did not significantly increase the risk of breast cancer. Other scientific research findings revealed that the risk of ovarian cancer actually decreases by 10-12% after a year of pill use, and about 50% decrease after five years of use.

There is no such scientific evidence to prove any link between the use of the pill and birth defects.

Earlier pills did contain very high levels of oestrogen which promoted water retention. But modern low-dose contraceptive pill with low oestrogen can overcome this problem that lead to weight gain.

After getting the answers of most common questions, now the question comes in mind is, which contraceptive will be suitable for you? To resolve this question it is necessary to know different modern methods available. Again, hormonal contraceptives are the most common and effective method accepted by women all over the world. These contraceptives include “the pill” or combined pill, mini-pill, patch and ring. Pills are of two types. One is the combined pills, which contains two hormones, a synthetic oestrogen and a synthetic progestogen. These pills help in suppressing the ovulation process, altering the lining of uterus, and altering the cervical mucus.  These three processes prevent pregnancy. The mini-pill contains only progestogen. It is safe for women, who are pregnant or women above 35 years of age and smoking.

NuvaRing is another new type of hormonal contraception which is available on prescription. It is a flexible vaginal ring which is very effective in the prevention of pregnancy. The main benefit of the NuvaRing is that it only needs to be put in once each month.

Evra patch is another different method used to prevent pregnancy.  It is a transdermal contraceptive patch. This patch needs to be applied weekly. The Evra patch contains oestrogen and progestogen as in combined contraceptive pills. It releases the hormones directly into the body through the skin.