Birth control pills overview

Birth control pills, also known as contraceptive pills, are of two types – emergency contraceptive pills and regular pills. This article provides a brief overview of both these categories. Talk to your doctor to find out which type of pill is suitable for you.

Birth control pills are available in different types – some pills are to be taken only in emergency and some pills regularly. Currently there are 2 main forms of emergency contraception pills available in the market – progestin-only pills and combined pills. Progestin-only pills, commonly known as 'mini pills', contain a synthetic version of the hormone progesterone. ellaOne and Levonelle are among the two most popular emergency contraceptives pills in this category. The second category of pills contain synthetic versions of progesterone and estrogen and are meant to be taken regularly to prevent unplanned pregnancies. Two such pills are Microgynon and Yasmin contraceptive pills.

Progestin-only emergency birth control pills are popularly referred to as 'morning after pills' because you can take them the next morning after sex. But it is advisable that you take emergency contraceptive measures as soon as you have unprotected intercourse, as in the case of a snapped condom. Also remember that no birth control pill, be it emergency or regular, can prevent a pregnancy if it's already occurred. Put simply, contraceptive pills are not abortion pills.

About progestin-only pills
Progestin-only pills such as ellaOne and Levonelle work in 3 ways to prevent ovulation. First, it tricks your body into thinking that you are pregnant and stops your ovary from releasing an egg. Second, even if an egg is accidentally released, the pill make changes in your uterus. Third, it makes it difficult for sperm to reach the egg by thickening the mucus between your uterus and your vagina. Such threefold mechanism of action increases the effectiveness of this category of pills. Cerazette is another oral contraceptive pill which only contains synthetic progestogen.

Results speak for themselves
The success rate of ellaOne is about 98% when it is taken within 24 hours from unprotected sexual intercourse. Levonelle, on the other hand, enjoys a success profile almost equally impressive. It is estimated that about 95 out of 100 women can successfully prevent pregnancy when they take this pill shortly after sex.

About combined oral contraceptives
This category of birth control pills came to be used first. Extensive research on hormonal contraception paved the path for the discovery of combined pills. Known simply as the 'Pill', it prevents pregnancy by inhibiting the release of gonadotropins and also by preventing follicular development.

Which type of birth control pills should I take?
Talk to your doctor to find out which category of pills is for you. Discuss about the possible side effects to be sure about the effectiveness of a particular pill you are planning to take. Regular pills are generally the preferred choice for many women, but the risk with them is also worth taking into consideration. The risk of pregnancy increases if you forget to take your regular pill for 2-3 consecutive days. That is when you have to turn to emergency contraceptive pills to eliminate the risk of an unwanted pregnancy. So logically speaking, there should not be any competition between the two types of pills. None of them is a substitute for one another. It is advisable that you insist your partner on using condoms to minimize the risk of pregnancy when you are not ready to conceive.

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