Birth Control Pills With Low Hormones

How Could Oral Contraceptives Influence Cancer Risk

Naturally occurring estrogen and progesterone stimulate the development and growth of some cancers . Because birth control pills contain synthetic versions of these female hormones, they could potentially also increase cancer risk.

In addition, oral contraceptives might increase the risk of cervical cancer by changing the susceptibility of cervical cells to persistent infection with high-risk HPV types .

Researchers have proposed multiple ways that oral contraceptives may lower the risks of some cancers, including

• suppressing endometrial cell proliferation
• reducing the number of ovulations a woman experiences in her lifetime, thereby reducing exposure to naturally occurring female hormones
• lowering the levels of bile acids in the blood for women taking oral conjugated estrogens

Selected References

How Well Does Lo Loestrin Fe Work

Your chance of getting pregnant depends on how well you follow the directions for taking your birth control pills. The better you follow the directions, the less chance you have of getting pregnant.

Based on the results of one clinical study, about 2 to 4 out of 100 women may get pregnant during the first year they use Lo Loestrin Fe.

Women with a BMI above 35 kg/m2 were not studied in the clinical trial, so it is not known how well this medication protects against pregnancy in such women. If you are overweight, discuss with your healthcare provider whether Lo Loestrin Fe is the best choice for you.

Birth control pills are:

• Less effective than implants, injections, intrauterine devices and sterilization, which result in fewer than 1 pregnancy per 100 women in a year
• Slightly more effective than condoms and diaphragms
• More effective than using spermicide, withdrawal or having no sex during the most fertile days of the monthly cycle, which result in 10 to 20 pregnancies per 100 women in one year
• More effective than no birth control, which results in 85 or more pregnancies per 100 women in one year

How Can Pandia Health Help

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Already have a prescription you love? No problem! for our FREE delivery service to get your pill packs shipped directly to your mailbox. We deliver to all 50 states. With Pandia Health, you can #SkipTheTrip to the pharmacy and feel confident that you will never run out of birth control.

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The Function Of Estrogen

Estrogen is the hormone thatâs mainly responsible for sexual development in girls as they reach puberty.

Other functions of estrogen include:

• Initiates changes in breast tissue during teenage years and pregnancy
• Helps regulate body weight by helping to control metabolism
• Involved in the development and growth of healthy bone tissue
• Plays a role in promoting healthy cardiovascular health, according to the American Heart Association

How Effective Are Birth Control Pills

With perfect use when taken as indicated every day birth control pills are 99% effective. Research indicates that less than one woman in 100 will become pregnant in the first year of taking the pill. But when pills are missed or taken late, the effectiveness drops to 91%. Thats why its important to be consistent when taking hormonal contraceptives.

Certain medications may interfere with the effectiveness of your birth control pills. These include some antibiotics, general anesthesia, the anti-HIV drug Sustiva , antifungals including Gris-peg ,fluconazole, and itraconazole, anticonvulsants like topamax, anti-nausea medications such as Emend , high blood pressure meds including Tracleer , the diabetes medications Actos and Avandia . As well, herbal supplements such as St. Johns Wort, soy products, and vitamin C may decrease birth controls effectiveness.

Taking the birth control pill almost doubles a womans risk of experiencing a stroke.

It also increases the buildup of arterial plaques in the veins, which can rupture, causing a heart attack, according to research at Ghent University.

This research found that women taking BCPs have 20 30% more arterial plaque in some parts of their body. Meanwhile, an English study has found that the pill that causes the least amount of heart risks is one that has 20 micrograms of estrogen combined with older synthetic progesterone called levonorgestrel.

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How Do You Get It

A doctor or a nurse practitioner must prescribe the Pill. Theyâll ask about a girlâs health and family medical history, and will do an exam, which may include a pelvic exam. If the doctor or NP prescribes birth control pills, theyâll explain when to begin taking the Pill and what to do if pills are missed.

The doctor or NP might want to do a blood pressure check a few months later and make sure there are no other problems. After that, girls who are having sex should get routine exams every 6 months to a year, or as recommended.

Birth Control Pills And Blood Clots

Van Hylckama Vlieg and colleagues compared 1,524 women, ages 18 to 50, diagnosed with a first deep venous thrombosis of the leg, which is a blood clot in the leg, or a pulmonary embolism, a blood clot in the lung, and compared them with 1,760 healthy people.

Women taking oral contraceptives had a fivefold increased risk of blood clots compared with nonusers, and the risk differed by the type of progestin. “The newer types of oral contraceptives containing drospirenone or cyproterone acetate are associated with an increased risk compared with oral contraceptives containing levonorgestrel,” Van Hylckama Vlieg says. Specifically, the researchers found that:

• Levonorgestrel boosted the risk of blood clots by nearly fourfold compared to nonusers.
• Gestodene boosted risk by 5.6 times.
• Drospirenone boosted risk 6.3 times.
• Cyproterone boosted risk 6.8 times.
• Desogestrel boosted risk 7.3 times.

The risk of blood clots was also associated with the level of estrogen in the pills, with higher estrogen dose linked with higher risk.

In the national Danish study, researchers evaluated the risk of blood clots among healthy Danish women, ages 15 to 49, who were using various types of birth control pills from 1995 to 2005.

During that period, they observed 4,213 blood clots.

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Oral Contraceptives May Cause Side Effects Tell Your Doctor If Any Of These Symptoms Are Severe Or Do Not Go Away:

• increased or decreased appetite
• weight gain or weight loss
• brown or black skin patches
• hair growth in unusual places
• bleeding or spotting between menstrual periods
• changes in menstrual flow

• light-colored stool
• swelling of the hands, feet, ankles, or lower legs
• depression, especially if you also have trouble sleeping, tiredness, loss of energy, or other mood changes
• unusual bleeding
• menstrual bleeding that is unusually heavy or that lasts for longer than 7 days in a row

Oral contraceptives may increase the chance that you will develop liver tumors. These tumors are not a form of cancer, but they can break and cause serious bleeding inside the body. Oral contraceptives may also increase the chance that you will develop breast or liver cancer, or have a heart attack, a stroke, or a serious blood clot. Talk to your doctor about the risks of using oral contraceptives.

Some studies show that women who take oral contraceptives that contain drosperinone may be more likely to develop deep vein thrombosis than women who take oral contraceptives that do not contain drosperinone. However, other studies do not show this increased risk. Before you begin taking oral contraceptives, talk to your doctor about the risk that you will develop blood clots and about which oral contraceptive or other method of birth control may be the best choice for you.

Oral contraceptives may cause other side effects. Call your doctor if you have any unusual problems while taking this medication.

Policymakers Must Expand The Range Of Available Options For Otc Purchase

A 2012 study found that a relatively small proportion of women who use contraceptives use the progestin-only pill option. Still, because this option generally presents lower risks and rarer contraindications to consumers, it may be a good first attempt to make available OTC. Perhaps equally important, making the Opill available OTC could function as a springboard to making other options available.

Cost is also a major factor: More consumers are interested in and willing to use progestin-only contraception if it has little to no out-of-pocket cost. Policymakers should be mindful of this fact and work to keep costs low, including ensuring that OTC methods of birth control can be covered by insurance.

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How To Choose The Best Birth Control Pill For You

Because every woman is different, your body may tolerate some brands of birth control pills better than others.

Here are a couple of steps we suggest you consider when thinking about what birth control is best for you:

What are the side effects? Most doctors recommend staying on a new birth control pill for at least 2-3 months. However, different women experience different side effects, so if you try one and its not the right fit, be sure to tell your doctor so you can try a different pill.

What hormones would work best in my body? Most doctors will probably recommend a combined contraceptive, but if estrogen is a concern , you may want to consider a progestin-only pill.

Is it name-brand or generic? In general, when you are looking at name-brand birth controls, they will be more expensive. Depending on your insurance or budget, you may want to ask about the generic version of birth control

Why do I want to be on birth control? If you are simply looking for a contraception method, the pill you choose may be different from if you are looking for birth control for acne, or PMDD, etc. Be mindful of the fact that the pill does not protect against STDs.

What if Im still not sure? Birth control is different for everybody, if you have any questions you should contact your doctor, or sign up for Pill Club to get in touch with an expert.

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What Is Lo Loestrin Fe

Lo Loestrin Fe is a low-dose combination birth control pill containing two different female hormones. It helps to prevent pregnancy.

Lo Loestrin Fe contains an estrogen called ethinyl estradiol and a progestin called norethindrone acetate. Lo Loestrin Fe works primarily by suppressing ovulation, which is when an egg is release from one of your ovaries each month. Combined birth control pills, such as this one, also work by thickening the mucus at the neck of the uterus . This makes it harder for sperm to get through and reach an egg. They also thin the lining of the uterus, which reduces the chances of a fertilized egg implanting and growing.

Lo Loestrin Fe was approved for use by the US Food and Drug Administration in 2010. A generic version of Lo Loestrin Fe has not been approved.

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Who Should Not Take Lo Loestrin Fe

Your healthcare provider will not give you Lo Loestrin Fe if you have:

• Ever had blood clots in your legs , lungs , or eyes
• Ever had a stroke
• Ever had a heart attack
• Certain heart valve problems or heart rhythm abnormalities that can cause blood clots to form in the heart
• An inherited problem with your blood that makes it clot more than normal
• High blood pressure that medicine can’t control
• Diabetes with kidney, eye, nerve, or blood vessel damage
• Ever had certain kinds of severe migraine headaches with aura, numbness, weakness or changes in vision
• Ever had breast cancer, which may be sensitive to female hormones
• Liver disease, including liver tumors
• Take any Hepatitis C drug combination containing ombitasvir/paritaprevir/ritonavir, with or without dasabuvir. This may increase levels of the liver enzyme alanine aminotransferase in the blood.

Also, do not take birth control pills if you:

• Smoke and are over 35 years old
• Are allergic to anything in this medication. See below for a complete list of ingredients.

Birth control pills may not be a good choice for you if you have ever had jaundice caused by pregnancy, also called cholestasis of pregnancy.

What Do Estrogen Pills Do

In fact, it is necessary to go back to the basics of estrogen pills. One should know that doctors do not prescribe them as the only possible solution. Usually, gynecologists insist that forehanded care of your body is key to comfortable living. Nevertheless, such a thing as a genetic or predisposition can radically disappoint you with the results. So, what are the estrogen pills benefits and functionalities?

The synthesis of estrogens in the female body usually starts during puberty. And, it may last until the onset of menopause or else called perimenopause. Estrogens are responsible for a womans youth and beauty, her emotional state and, of course, libido. Besides, estrogens are responsible for bone strength, good memory, blood cholesterol, skin condition and more. Accordingly, the use of estrogen pills for menopause will be directed on helping memory, overall health condition, and preventing any injuries.

The use of estrogen and progesterone pills for menopause helps to keep the skin and mucous membranes moist. Moreover, estrogens support the functioning and integrity of the stratum corneum.

At last, estrogen pills for menopause, acting on receptors, promote faster growth of vascular endothelial cells, help the endothelium to recover faster after damage. When estrogen is low, endothelial function is impaired. And as you know, the good blood supply is the key to beauty and youth.

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What Should I Do If I Miss A Pill

Take the missed pill as soon as you remember. Then take your usual daily dose as planned. You should also use a backup form of birth control until you have your period. Call your healthcare provider if you miss several days of the pill. Your provider can discuss pregnancy test and emergency contraception options. It is helpful to keep the package inserts of the available, most will give specific instructions on what to do if there is a missed pill.

What To Do During The Month

• Take one pill at the same time every day until the pack is empty.
• Do not skip pills even if you are spotting or bleeding between monthly periods or feel sick to your stomach .
• Do not skip pills even if you do not have sex very often.

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How Birth Control Pills Work

The hormones estrogen and progesterone signal your body to produce eggs and prepare for pregnancy.

If a sperm doesnt fertilize the egg, the levels of these hormones fall steeply. In response, your uterus sheds the lining that had built up. This lining is shed during your period.

Birth control pills contain either a combination of synthetic estrogen and synthetic progesterone or synthetic progesterone alone. This manmade version of progesterone is also known as progestin.

Estrogen and progestin work in different ways to prevent pregnancy. Both work to prevent the pituitary gland from producing hormones that trigger ovulation.

Progestin also thickens your cervical mucus, making it harder for sperm to reach any released eggs. Progestin thins the uterine lining as well. This makes it harder for an egg to implant there if the sperm fertilizes it.

Common brands of low-dose birth control pills include:

Lo Loestrin Fe is actually considered an ultra-low-dose pill, as it only contains 10 mcg of estrogen.

There are multiple benefits of taking a low-dose combination pill:

• Your periods are likely to be more regular.
• Your periods may be lighter.
• Any menstrual cramping you have may be less severe.

How Is Low Estrogen Diagnosed

Diagnosis and treatment of low estrogen can help prevent many health issues.

If youre experiencing symptoms of low estrogen, talk with your doctor. They can assess your symptoms and make a diagnosis if needed. Early diagnosis may help prevent further complications.

During your appointment, your doctor will discuss your family health history and assess your symptoms. Theyll also perform a physical exam. Blood tests will likely be needed to measure your hormone levels.

Your follicle stimulating hormone levels may also be tested to determine whether your estrogen is low if youre experiencing:

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Best Birth Control Pills For You

Combination birth control pills contain estrogen and progestin. When theyre taken correctly, combination birth control pills are 99.7 percent effective in preventing unwanted pregnancy. With typical use, such as missing a few doses, the failure rate is about 7 percent.

Common brands of low-dose birth control pills include:

Lo Loestrin Fe is actually considered an ultra-low-dose pill, as it only contains 10 mcg of estrogen.

Does Birth Control Help With Cramps And Other Period Symptoms

When Aunt Flo arrives each month, she often brings with her a host of other unwanted guests including painful cramps. You could ride it out with a heating pad, a couple Midol or another common way to stop period pain, or you could say goodbye to severely painful cramps with the help from a little pill.

Because birth control pills help regulate your period by balancing your hormones, the pill can also reduce period pain when cramps are caused by a hormone imbalance. During your menstrual cycle, your uterine lining produces hormone-like substances called prostaglandins. Prostaglandins help your uterus contract in order to shed the lining.

But too much of these prostaglandins can cause painful cramps, which is often called dysmenorrhea. The combination pill can help balance your hormone levels by reducing the amount of prostaglandins produced. Plus, these kinds of benefits dont go away as you age. Even taking birth control while going through perimenopause can make things easier.

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