KB pills: benefits, risks, and how it works to prevent pregnancy

Birth control pills are one of the contraceptives available, apart from the IUD or spiral birth control, condoms, oral contraceptives, vaginal rings, and hormone patches. Each method has its advantages and disadvantages, both in terms of convenience, potential side effects, and effectiveness of pregnancy prevention. Then, what about birth control pills? Check out the explanation about birth control pills below.

How birth control pills work

The way birth control pills work depends on their content, which is a synthetic version of two hormones that are produced naturally in a woman's body: estrogen and progestin. These two hormones regulate a woman's menstrual cycle, and the fluctuating levels of these hormones play an important role in pregnancy.

These contraceptive pills are available in two types, combination pills (containing progestin and estrogen) and mini pills (progestin only). The hormones in the pill work in three ways to prevent pregnancy from occurring. First, it prevents your ovaries from releasing eggs so that fertilization does not occur.

Second, changing the thickness of the cervical mucus to make it difficult for sperm to move into the uterus to find eggs. Lastly, it changes the lining of the uterine wall so that it is impossible for a fertilized egg to implant in the uterus.

What types of birth control pills are available?

There are two types of birth control pills that are often used, namely combination pills and mini pills. The following is a complete explanation of both.

Combination pills

Most birth control pills are "combination pills" which contain a combination of the hormones estrogen and progesterone to prevent ovulation, the process by which an egg is released during the monthly cycle. A woman cannot get pregnant if she doesn't ovulate because there is no fertilized egg.

These birth control pills also work by thickening the mucus in and around the cervix, which makes it more difficult for sperm to enter the uterus and reach the released egg. The hormones in these pills can sometimes also affect the uterus, making it harder for the egg to attach to the uterine wall.

Most birth control pills come in 21 or 28 day packs. One hormone pill is taken every day at the same time in 21 days. Depending on your package, you can stop taking contraceptive pills for 7 days (for the 21 day pack) or you can take non-hormone pills for 7 days (for the 28 day pack).

A woman experiences menstruation when she stops taking hormone-containing pills. Some women choose the 28 day package because it helps them stick to the habit of taking the pill every day.

There is also a combination pill type that reduces the frequency of menstruation by giving hormone pills for 12 weeks and antidote pills for 7 days. This pill reduces the frequency of menstruation to once every three months.

Mini pill

Another type of birth control pill that can change the frequency of menstruation is a low-dose progesterone pill or the so-called “mini pill”. This type of contraceptive pill is different from other pills that contain only the hormone progesterone or that contain a combination of estrogen and progesterone.

These pills work by changing the cervical mucus and uterine walls, and sometimes by affecting ovulation. However, these mini pills can be less effective at preventing pregnancy than the combination pill.

Mini pills are also taken every day without a break. A woman who is taking the mini pill may not have her period at all or have menstrual periods irregularly. The mini pill should also be taken at the same time each day, without skipping doses.

How do I use birth control pills?

Any type of birth control pill can work best if taken every day at the same time. This effectiveness regardless of whenever a woman wants to have sex. This is especially true for birth control pills that contain progesterone.

You can start taking birth control pills as soon as you get them, in other words you can start using them at any time, even in the middle of your menstrual cycle.

However, the time you can avoid pregnancy depends on when you start using it. Plus, the type of pill you use also matters.

For the first seven days of taking the pill, a woman still has to use additional contraceptives such as condoms. The use of condoms in addition to the use of birth control pills serves to prevent pregnancy.

After seven days, birth control pills can work on their own without the aid of contraceptives such as condoms to prevent pregnancy. But you still need to use a condom to prevent contracting sexually transmitted diseases.

If you miss or forget to take the pill, you may not avoid getting pregnant. So, you will need backup contraceptives such as condoms. In addition, you may need to stop having sex for a while. Don't take friends or relatives' pills.

How effective are birth control pills?

Within a year, about 8 out of 100 couples who depend on birth control pills to prevent pregnancy can have an accidental pregnancy. Of course this is relative and depends on how regularly you consume this contraceptive.

Skipping birth control pills, even for just one day, can increase your risk of pregnancy. This contraceptive is very effective, especially if consumed consistently and following doctor's directions, every day at the same time.

However, you need to know that in general, how well these contraceptives work depends on many factors. This includes whether a person has certain health conditions or is undergoing other treatments. Not only that, if you are taking herbal supplements that can interfere with the performance of the contraceptive pill.

For example, antibiotics or herbs like St. John's Wort can interfere with the performance and effectiveness of the pill. How good a contraceptive method is also depends on whether the method chosen is comfortable enough and whether a person remembers to use it correctly every time.

Used perfectly, this standard birth control pill has a reported effectiveness rate of 99 percent. This level of effectiveness is slightly different from the mini pill. Reporting from WebMD, if used consistently and according to directions, the success rate of the mini pill is up to 95 percent - somewhat less effective than standard birth control pills.

However, this success rate also has to consider other factors, such as forgetting to take a dose or running out of a dose before it has time to refill. Misuse or delay in dosage can reduce the effectiveness of pills by between 92-94 percent.

Do birth control pills protect against sexually transmitted diseases?

Birth control pills do not protect you from venereal disease. This means that when you have sexual relations with a partner who has a sexually transmitted disease, using these pills does not guarantee that you will be free from the disease.

The reason is, birth control pills are only used to prevent pregnancy, not to prevent contracting venereal diseases that may be contagious. Couples who have sex should always use condoms at the same time as birth control pills to prevent transmission of sexually transmitted diseases.

If you don't want to get pregnant and don't want to catch a sexually transmitted disease, you can abstinence . Abstinence (not having sex) is the only method that can always prevent pregnancy and transmission of sexually transmitted diseases.

Who can use birth control pills?

Birth control pills are safe for use by most women. Young women who can remember to take it every day and want complete protection from pregnancy can use it.

However, not all women can use this contraceptive. Birth control pills are not recommended for women who are overweight. Likewise with women who are 35 years old and also smoke.

In addition to the two conditions above, there are several medical conditions that can make it ineffective or even more risky, such as:

• Blood clots in the arms, legs, or lungs.
• Serious heart or liver disease.
• Breast or uterine cancer.
• Uncontrolled hypertension.
• Migraine with aura,

For women whose menstrual cycles are irregular, this birth control pill is recommended. However, women who are interested in finding out more about the contraceptive pill can consult a doctor or health practitioner.

What are the benefits of birth control pills?

Some additional health benefits apart from preventing pregnancy include:

1. The menstrual cycle is more regular

Hormonal birth control pills cause menstrual cycles to occur regularly. This is especially helpful for women who have menstrual cycles that are too fast or too infrequent. In fact, usually after the use of this pill, menstruation also tends to be lighter and shorter.

2.Lighter menstrual cramps and pain (dysmenorrhea)

It's not unusual for you to experience dysmenorrhea while you're menstruating. Well, you can overcome this condition using birth control pills. So, when consuming it, menstrual cramps and pain can feel lighter.

3. Low chance of iron deficiency anemia

These birth control pills can reduce the amount of blood flow during menstruation. The amount of blood lost plays an important role in preventing iron deficiency anemia.

4. Reducing the risk of symptomatic endometriosis

This contraceptive may not cure you of endometriosis. However, it may stop the progression of the disease. It is the first choice for controlling the growth of endometriosis and pain, because hormone therapy via these pills has the least side effects.

5. Reducing the risk of fibrocystic breasts

Approximately 70-90 percent of patients report improvement in the condition of fibrocystic breasts through oral contraceptive therapy.

6. Relieves hirsutism

The estrogen and progestin in the pill suppress the development of male sex hormones (androgens and testosterone) which cause facial and body hair growth, especially on the chin, chest and abdomen.

7. Prevent ectopic pregnancy

Oral hormonal contraceptives are the best form of contraception for women who are at high risk of an ectopic pregnancy, a life threatening condition.

8. Does not affect fertility

Even though it may take 2-3 months to get pregnant after stopping birth control pills, it does not mean that their use will affect fertility. This means that you can still get pregnant if you stop using it.

In addition, there are several other benefits that you can get, such as the following:

• Relieves acne.
• Prevent osteoporosis.
• Reducing the risk of cancer of the ovaries, uterus and colon.
• The risk of ovarian cysts and other non-cancerous cysts is low.
• Managing symptoms of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).
• Protects against pelvic inflammatory disease (PID).
• Will not interfere with sexual activity.

What are the possible side effects of birth control pills?

Birth control pills are an effective and safe method of preventing pregnancy. Most young women who consume them rarely show side effects. The effects that can be experienced include:

• Irregular menstrual schedule.
• Nausea, dizziness, headache, and breast tenderness.
• Mood changes.
• Blood clots (rare in women under 35 who don't smoke).

Some of these side effects increase during the first three months. When a woman experiences side effects, the doctor will usually suggest another brand of pill.

These pills also have side effects that most women like, namely they usually make menstrual periods less frequent, reduce menstrual cramps, and are usually recommended for women who have menstrual problems.

Usually when taking these pills it does cause acne, and some doctors will inform you about this. However, birth control pills have also been shown to protect us from several things such as breast disease, anemia, ovarian cysts, ovarian cancer, and endometrial cancer.

What are the drawbacks of birth control pills?

Most women experience mild and temporary effects, such as headaches, nausea, breast tenderness, bleeding between periods, and mood swings, during the first three months. If the side effects don't go away after a few months, it would be better if you change to a different type or brand of pills.

Some of the side effects are rare to rare, but may be dangerous. Among them:

1. Heart attack

This opportunity is classified as very small, unless you smoke.

2. Stroke

Women who take birth control pills and have a history of migraines show an increased risk of stroke, compared to users who do not have migraines.

3. Increase blood pressure

Women who take these hormone pills usually experience a temporary increase in blood pressure, even though the reading usually remains within a normal range. Blood pressure should be monitored for several months after a woman starts using oral contraceptives.

4.Blood clots (venous thromboembolism)

Studies consistently show that the risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE) is two to six times higher in users of oral contraceptives than in nonusers. However, this risk only affects 3 to 6 in 10,000 women who take birth control pills, according to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG).

5. Gain weight

This is often caused by a buildup of fluid or fat storage due to estrogen in the thighs, hips, and breasts. Weight gain is also associated with less physical activity or increased food intake.

6. Depression, irritability, mood changes

Lastly, although they are effective in preventing pregnancy, these pills do not protect you against the transmission of venereal diseases. Combine the use of birth control pills with latex or female condoms during sex to prevent the chance of spreading the disease.

How do I get birth control pills?

Your doctor or nurse will suggest the right birth control pill for you. They will ask about your health, your family medical history, and perform a complete physical exam, which may include a pelvic exam.

If the doctor or nurse recommends the pill, they should explain when you should start taking it and what to do if you miss it. They will usually tell you to come back in a few months to have your blood pressure checked and see if you have any problems.

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