Every woman deserves the right to choose their future, their family, and the freedom to decide whether or when they want to get pregnant. Enter birth control!

What is Birth Control?

Birth control means different kinds of freedom to different women. For some women, birth control has given them the freedom to complete further education and climb higher up the success ladder.

In contrast, for others, it is a simple choice they have to make to prepare themselves financially, mentally, and physically to handle the responsibility of raising a child. 

Simply put, birth control is a method, device, or medicine used by both men and women to prevent pregnancy. It gives women the choice and freedom to postpone or prevent their pregnancy and enjoy their sexual lives without fearing unwanted responsibilities.

What are the Different Types of Birth Control Methods? 

There are several birth control options available. The best way for you to decide which one works best for you is to see if it answers the following questions:

Is it effective at preventing pregnancy?

Is it easy to use and affordable?

Will it affect my periods?

Does it also help prevent STDs?

Do I require the assistance of a medical practitioner?

Basis these answers, you can choose between the following birth control options:

Barriers

The barrier method creates a barrier between the male and female reproductive organs. It can be achieved through male and female condoms, cervical caps, diaphragm, and contraceptive sponges.

Sterilization

It is a type of birth control that prevents conception permanently and can be achieved through a surgical or medicinal procedure. The procedure for female sterilization is known as tubal ligation, whereas the procedure for male sterilization is known as vasectomy.

Vaginal gels 

It is a non-hormonal method of birth control. Vaginal gels kill sperms or stop them from moving so that they can’t get to an egg and fertilize it, and they need to be put in the vagina right before sex.

Natural rhythm method

This method involves learning your ovulation and menstrual cycles to understand which days of the month you are most fertile or infertile. It can be achieved with the help of ovulation kits or a fertility monitor.

Long-acting reversible contraceptives

These are intrauterine devices or hormonal implants that your doctor implants inside your uterus so that you don’t have to use any other birth control daily or after having sex. 

Short-acting hormonal methods

It will help if you take this birth control every day or month. These can be taken as birth control pills, patches, shots, or vaginal rings.

Birth control pills are some of the women’s most popular contraceptive methods. So let’s understand them better.

What is a Birth Control Pill?

A birth control pill, a hormonal contraceptive pill that must be taken orally to prevent pregnancy. It has a success rate of up to 99.99%. 

When your ovaries release an egg, you become pregnant that is fertilised by a sperm. This is known as ovulation, and regulated by hormones such as oestrogen and progestin.

Birth control pills are hormonal contraceptives that contain a small amount of estrogen and progestin and direct your body’s natural hormones to prevent you from ovulating. Moreover, they also make it difficult for the sperm to travel to the egg to fertilize it.

What are the Types of Birth Control Pills?

There are two types of birth control pills:

1. Combination pills

These pills contain both estrogen and progestin. They come in different varieties, and you can pick and choose the most suitable pill depending on the kind of gap you want between your periods and the amount of hormones that are suitable for you.

2. The minipill

Minipills or ‘progestin-only’ pills contain the same amount of progestin in each tablet and are all active. These are suitable for some women who shouldn’t be consuming estrogen because of a history of or susceptibility to breast cancer, strokes or clots, or those who are breastfeeding.

What are the Benefits of Birth Control Pills?

Birth control pills have a host of benefits for you – 

• Makes periods light and regular
• Reduces menstrual cramps
• Helps manage PMS (Premenstrual syndrome)
• Treats PCOS (Polycystic ovary syndrome)
• Lowers the risk of ovarian, uterine, or colon cancer
• Stops unwanted hair growth
• Manages and reduces migraines
• Treat uterine fibroids
• Easily reversible for when you want to get pregnant
• Reduces heavy bleeding during periods
• Reduces symptoms of endometriosis

What are the Side Effects of Birth Control Pills?

Certain brands of birth control pills may not be effective for some women and must be changed by the doctor. Women may also feel specific side effects when taking birth control pills, improving over a couple of months.

The following are the common side effects of taking birth control pills – 

• Tender or swollen breasts
• Headaches
• Mood swings
• Nausea
• Spotting between periods

There can also be some severe side effects of birth control pills, such as – 

• Blurred vision
• Chest pain, blood clots, stroke, or heart attack
• Hypertension
• Deep vein thrombosis

What Precautions Should be Taken When Using Birth Control Pills?

• Keep a different kind of non-hormonal birth control handy in case you forget to take the pill someday.
• Set a fixed time in the day to take your pills every day.
• Ensure you refill your pills before you run out of them.
• Carry your pills with you if you are not sleeping in your own home.
• Inform your doctor and pharmacist that you are on birth control pills before they can prescribe any medications.

Conclusion: Birth control pills are an effective form of birth control and are easy to use. However, staying consistent while on the pill is essential to avoid unwanted pregnancy or other side effects. Pill tracking is beneficial in such cases. Also, remember: You must consult your doctor and discuss your requirements and medical history with them before starting a birth control regime.