Birth control pill

How does the birth control pill work?

The birth control pill works in three different ways:

1. It stops your ovaries from releasing an egg each month.

2. It makes the mucus in the cervix thicker so it is harder for the sperm to travel into the cervix. The cervix is the opening to the uterus.

3. The lining of the uterus becomes thinner. This makes it harder for a fertilized egg to attach to the uterus.

How effective is the birth control pill?

When the birth control pill is taken exactly as directed, the failure rate is less than one percent. However, if you miss any pills, your chance of getting pregnant increases.

How do you use the birth control pill?

A healthcare worker will tell you how to start using it. You can choose from different kinds of birth control pills. Birth control pills come in packs for 21 days or 28 days.

• Read the instructions that come with the birth control pills, and check the expiry date on the package before you use them.

• If you get the 21-day pack, you take one pill each day for 21 days. These pills contain hormones. Then, for seven days you do not take pills.

• If you get the 28-day pack, you take one pill each day. For 21 days, you take pills that have hormones. For seven days, you take pills that don’t have hormones. Your chance of getting pregnant does not increase during the seven days when you are not on the hormone pills.

• The pill should be taken at approximately the same time every day.

When you first start birth control pills they may not work right away. We recommend using a backup method such as condoms during the first month to protect against pregnancy. If you have diarrhea or vomiting, or if you are taking other medicines, your pills may not work as well. During these times, you should use a backup method like condoms to prevent pregnancy. If the doctor gives you any medication, you should tell them that you are taking birth control pills.

What are the advantages of the birth control pill?

• Your chances of getting pregnant are very low.

• Your period is very regular. You might not bleed as much during your period.

• The birth control pills that have estrogen and progesterone lower your chances of getting cancer of the ovaries and the endometrium. The endometrium is the lining of the uterus.

• You don’t have to interrupt sex.

• Your partner doesn’t have to be involved.

What are the disadvantages of the birth control pill?

• A healthcare worker has to give you the prescription.

• You might not be able to use it if you have certain health problems.

• You must remember to take it each day at the same time.

• If you miss a pill or take a pill late, it may not be as effective.

• You’re not protected against sexually transmitted infections (STIs).

• It costs a lot, especially at drugstores. You can buy it for less at some birth control clinics.

A very small number of women suffer more serious side effects. There is a risk of developing heart attacks, strokes, blood clots in the veins, or liver tumours. As you get older, you are at higher risk for having these problems. If you smoke or have high blood pressure, the risk is even higher.

Where can you get the birth control pill?

Drugstores and most birth control clinics sell birth control pills.