Hormone Comparison In Birth Control

Combination Birth Control Pills

Brand Name: Yaz®, Seasonique®, Ortho Tri-Cyclen®, Lybrel®, and many more.

Effectiveness: High. With perfect use, fewer than 1 in 100 pill users will become pregnant. With typical use, 9 in 100 pill users will become pregnant.

What is it?

The birth control pill is a daily pill to prevent pregnancy. Most pills are taken daily for three weeks in a row, then discontinued for one week, during which time you usually get your period. The pill is also safe to use continuously, leading to no period. Birth control pills are most effective when taken at the same time every day.

How does it work?

Combination birth control pills contain the hormones progestin and estrogen, the same hormones that are in the patch and the vaginal ring. These hormones prevent pregnancy by preventing ovulation and thickening cervical mucus, creating a barrier to sperm entering the uterus.

There are many different pills on the market with varying amounts or types of progestin and estrogen. If the Pill you are using is not a good fit, it may be worth discussing with your provider other types of the Pill or the patch or ring, described in this post, which use the same hormone combination but have a different delivery method.

Pros

Cons

How Soon Do Birth Control Pills Work

If youre taking a combination pill and you begin your first pack within 5 days of the start of your menstrual period, youre protected from pregnancy right away. If you start later in your cycle, the combination pill takes 7 days to become effective. If youre taking a progestin-only pill, protection from pregnancy occurs 48 hours after your first pill, no matter where you are in your cycleexcept Slynd. You need to use backup contraception for the first 5 days of taking Slynd, unless you begin taking it within the first 5 days of your period.

If you have had unprotected sex since last menstrual period, take a urine pregnancy test before starting birth control pills. You may choose to repeat a home pregnancy test in 2 to 4 weeks. Hormonal contraceptives do not cause birth defects, pregnancy loss, or fetal growth problems.

If you have had unprotected sex within five days, use emergency contraception . Birth control pills can be started immediately after taking Plan B. But, if Ella was taken, then birth control pills should be started 5 days after Ella .

Age And Family Planning

Before prescribing contraception, it is always advisable to provide counseling on risks versus benefits of various contraceptive preparations, so that the woman can choose the product most suitable for her values and needs. This should lead to greater satisfaction and correct use. Family planning includes complete information on subjects such as sexual and reproductive health, prevention of sexually transmitted infections, the various contraceptive options available and how to use them correctly. The more fully the doctor personalizes the choice of contraceptive and shares the decision with the patient, the more she will follow instructions and accept advice. Women are more likely to continue use of a pill if it ensures perfect contraception while increasing a sense of personal well-being .

In this period of life, imbalances between estrogens and progesterone leading to a condition of relative hyperestrogenism are common. This is associated with increased risk of estrogen-related pathologies involving the endometrium and the breast, as well as a higher frequency of dysfunctional menometrorrhagia.

Perimenopausal women often complain of symptoms linked to estrogen deficit: hot flashes, emotional instability and sleep disturbances. Oral contraceptives have been demonstrated to significantly reduce the number and severity of hot flashes . There is also broad consensus in attributing a preventive role against osteoporosis to oral contraceptives .

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What Drugs Interact With Birth Control And Nuvaring

Birth Control Pills

Estrogens can inhibit the metabolism of cyclosporine, resulting in increased cyclosporine blood levels. Such increased blood levels can result in kidney and/or liver damage. If this combination cannot be avoided, cyclosporine concentrations can be monitored, and the dose of cyclosporine can be adjusted to assure that its blood levels do not become elevated.

Estrogens appear to increase the risk of liver disease in patients receiving dantrolene through an unknown mechanism. Women over 35 years of age and those with a history of liver disease are especially at risk.

Estrogens increase the livers ability to manufacture clotting factors. Because of this, patients receiving warfarin need to be monitored for loss of anticoagulant effect if an estrogen is begun.

A number of medications, including some antibiotics and antiseizure medications, can decrease the blood levels of oral contraceptive hormones, but an actual decrease in the effectiveness of the oral contraceptive has not been convincingly proven. Nonetheless, because of this theoretical possibility, some physicians recommend backup contraceptive methods during antibiotic use. Examples of medications that increase the elimination of estrogens include

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Which Types Of Birth Control Can I Get Without A Prescription

You can buy these types of birth control over the counter at a drugstore or supermarket:

• Emergency contraception pills. Plan B One-Step® and its generic versions are available in drugstores and some supermarkets to anyone, without a prescription. However you should not use EC as your regular birth control because it does not work as well as regular birth control. EC is meant to be used only when your regular birth control does not work for some unexpected reason.

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How Effective Is The Pull

The pull-out method is up to 96 percent effective when its performed perfectly. With typical use, its up to 78 percent effective.

Withdrawal may be less effective if:

98 percent effective if the person using it meets all the criteria for the method. This includes nursing exclusively and being less than 6 months postpartum.

When youre nursing, your body stops ovulation. If your ovaries arent releasing an egg, you cant get pregnant or menstruate. However, you must nurse at least once every 4 hours for maximum efficacy.

LAM may be less effective if you:

• dont breastfeed or chestfeed frequently enough
• pump instead of breastfeeding or chestfeeding
• are more than 6 months postpartum

Side Effects And Risks

Like any medication, these methods have side effects and risks:

Copper IUD. Itâs possible you could have an ectopic pregnancy, where the embryo grows outside your uterus, but itâs rare. The IUD can fall out of your uterus, but this isnât common, either. You may have side effects like heavier periods, bleeding between periods, and more cramps with the copper IUD. You could also get pelvic inflammatory disease if bacteria get into your reproductive tract. And if the IUD moves, it could cut your uterus or other nearby organs, but this is rare.

Hormonal IUD. It, too, raises your odds of an ectopic pregnancy. And it can also fall out of your uterus. The side effects are usually headaches, acne, breast soreness, bleeding between periods, mood shifts, and cramping. PID is a possibility with a hormonal IUD as well. Youâre also more likely to get a benign ovarian cyst. And thereâs also a small chance the IUD will move and cut your uterus or nearby organs.

Combination pills. They could raise your chances of high cholesterol, heart attacks, stroke, and blood clots. Youâre also at a higher risk of cervical and breast cancers. This goes down once you stop the pill. Side effects of combination pills are usually bleeding between periods, breast pain, higher blood pressure, headaches, nausea, and bloating.

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How Do I Use Birth Control Pills

Combination pills come in a variety of formats. These include monthly packs, which follow 21-, 24-, or 28-day cycles. Extended regimens can follow 91-day cycles. With all these formats, you take one pill each day at the same time of day.

If you start taking your combination pill within 5 days after your period starts, youll be protected against pregnancy right away. If you start at any other time, youll need to take the pills for 7 consecutive days before youre protected. During this time, you should use a barrier method of birth control, such as an external condom.

Progestin-only pills, on the other hand, come in only packs of 28. As with combination pills, you take one pill at the same time every day.

Progestin-only pills tend to work more quickly than combination pills, which means youll be protected against pregnancy after taking 2 consecutive pills within 48 hours. If you dont want to wait the 48 hours to have sex, you should use a barrier method of birth control.

combination pill and the progestin-only pill have 9 percent failure rates with typical use. That means out of 100 people using the pill, 9 would get pregnant.

To be fully effective, progestin pills must be taken within the same 3-hour time period every day. If you miss this time window, you should take your pill as soon as you remember and use a different method of contraception, like a condom, for 2 days.

Certain medications may make either type of pill less effective, including:

• pulmonary embolism

The Impact Of Sampling Bias And Self

Self-selection is a major internal validity threat in all of the non-randomized studies and is highly problematic in the present context. Choosing or not choosing to use HC may be influenced by various psychological factors that are associated with differences in brain structure and function. Mental and behavioral functions are, to a large extent, determined by brain function which ultimately is determined by brain structure. Thus, in the absence of randomization, self-selection by choosing or not choosing to use contraceptive drugs could be caused by psychological factors that are at least partly determined by brain function or structure. This could lead to serious confounding that could threaten internal validity.

Another important source of possible bias is discontinued use of HC due to negative side effects. Different women may experience different side effects, and if such effects are not independent from brain function or structure, this will bias the finding. Thus, women who have chosen not to continue using HC will not be included in studies on effects of such drugs, unless the design of the study is a randomized design, and not based on self-selection.

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The Birth Control Pill Vs The Iud: Which Is More Effective

Thinking of starting birth control, or switching from your existing form of birth control to another option? The pill and the IUD are both highly effective ways of stopping yourself from becoming pregnant, each with their own unique advantages and disadvantages.

The birth control pill uses either a combination of hormones or a single hormone to prevent you from becoming pregnant. The IUD, on the other hand, uses either hormones or copper to block sperm from entering into your uterus and causing pregnancy.

Weve explained how each form of birth control works in more detail below, as well as the major advantages and disadvantages of each form of birth control. Weve also listed the common side effects you might experience from using the pill or the IUD.

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Metabolic Effects And Potential Risks

COC can adversely affect different cardiovascular risk biomarkers and metabolic disorder risk factors and the effect on serum levels of adiponectin and leptin, and on insulin sensitivity and lipid profiles, is of particular importance . In particular, glucose intolerance and hyperinsulinemia may increase the risk of arterial disease, especially in the presence of obesity, family history of diabetes, advanced age and history of gestational diabetes . It is therefore preferable to use a pill that has low effect on increased insulin resistance.

It has been known for more than 25 years that the use of high-dose COC increases the risk of anomalies of sugar metabolism, especially reduced tolerance to carbohydrates. The metabolic alterations induced by high-dose COC may be determined by either component, with effects that are often antagonistic and closely correlated with the chemical nature and dose of the compounds used. The reduced doses of both components in today’s COC formulations are associated with a reduced incidence of glucose intolerance. The effects of different pills on sugar metabolism seem to be determined by the combination of insulin resistance induced by estrogens, which is dose-dependent, and by changes in the half-life of insulin induced by progestins . A progestin with androgenic properties causes a greater decline in insulin sensitivity than a progestin with anti-androgenic activity .

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How Does Birth Control Work

Each form of birth control works slightly different. Some of the ways it works include:

• Preventing sperm from reaching an egg.
• Preventing your ovary from releasing an egg.
• Damaging sperm so it cant swim to an egg.
• Thickening your cervical mucus so sperm cant swim through it.
• Changing the thickness of your uterine lining so an egg cant implant.

Choosing A Hormonal Birth Control

The best birth control for you is one that works for your lifestyle, that youâll be able to use correctly and consistently . Itâs likely that over your lifetime youâll want to try more than one method of hormonal birth control, so itâs good to familiarize yourself with whatâs available and the risks and benefits of each method .

The first question most people ask when investigating birth control options is, âWill it work?â but there are other considerations as well, including cost, convenience and discretion.

Tracking your birth control usage, along with your physical and emotional symptoms, can help you determine if a hormonal birth control is right for you. And, if youâre using a method that needs to be changed like the patch or ring, Clue can send you a notification that itâs time. For pill users, you can sign up to get a daily notification as a reminder to take your pills.

If you plan to become pregnant within the next couple of years, youâll want to check out how quickly you can return to fertility based on the method youâre using . Also keep in mind that no form of hormonal contraception offers protection from sexually transmitted infections âbut using a condom with a hormonal birth control even further reduces your risk for pregnancy while also protecting from STIs .

Letâs take a look at different forms of hormonal birth control, how they are delivered and how effective they are.

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There Is No Best Birth Control

Verma says that healthcare providers have changed the way they talk to their patients about choosing birth control. “When the long-acting reversible contraceptive methods came out, there was a lot of excitement about them and a lot of pushing of these methods,” she said.

But these days, Verma and her colleagues have largely shifted their approach toward talking to women about all their birth control options , and then helping them decide which one best fits their lifestyle.

What works for some might not work for others, Verma said. “No one can tell you what’s doable for you.”

This resource was created with support from Evofem Biosciences.

Discouraged By The Cost Of Birth Control We Can Help

We do our best to help you afford the birth control method you choose no matter what your situation is. Whether you have your own health insurance, are on your parents plan, or dont have insurance at all, weve got you covered. Find a health center near you.

• Many insurance plans, including Medicaid, cover Planned Parenthood services.

• Well help you navigate your states health insurance plans. Learn more

• Is health insurance not an option for you? We can get you set up with state or locally funded programs that help cover the cost of your birth control.

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What Is The Difference Between 21

Theonly difference between the 21- and 28-day birth control pills is that the 28-day includes either seven inactive sugar pills or seven iron pills. If youre taking a 21-day birth control pill, youll take the pill for three weeks, and then skip a week before starting a new pack. For 28-day pills, youll start a new pack immediately after finishing your last one.

Comparison Of Birth Control Methods

There are many methods of birth control . They vary in what is required of the user, side effects, and effectiveness. No method of birth control is ideal for every user. Outlined here are the different types of barrier methods, hormonal methods, various methods including spermicides, emergency contraceptives, and surgical methods.

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What Is The Best Birth Control Method Overall

Most women who want to protect themselves from pregnancy get a prescription for the pill. Yet there are other forms of contraception, like the IUD for example, that last longer and are even more effective. The pill is a short-term method that suits many people, though youd have to remember to take the pill every day.

Ultimately, the best birth control for you depends on many things and could change over time. The Office on Womens Health says there is no best method of birth control for every woman, but that you should consider things like:

• Whether you want to get pregnant soon or in the next few years

• Possible side effects

• Your overall health

• How comfortable you are with the method, such as having to take a pill everyday

Weve come a long way from one birth control pill option. The number of brands of pills might be a little overwhelming, but we hope that this article will give you confidence when you talk to your doctor. With so many brands of pills and combinations of different ingredients, there is truly a birth control option out there for almost everybody whos eligible to take it. The best birth control pill is the pill that works best for you!