Hormonal Methods of Birth Control

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• Definition and facts about hormonal methods of birth control
• Birth control pills
• What are the side effects of birth control pills?
• What are the types and brands of birth control pills available in the US?
• What are the risks of taking birth control pills?
• 91-day birth control pills
• Progestin-only birth control pills
• Birth control patch
• Vaginal ring
• Implant
• Injections and combination injections

• "The pill" was introduced in the United States in 1962 and signaled the beginning a new era for women, as they were now able, for the first time, to reliably control their fertility.
• According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the pill represents the leading birth control method used by US women younger than 30 years of age. Longer-acting implants, injections, rings, and patches that employ hormones to prevent ovulation or to create a hostile environment for sperm are also available.
• There are several types of hormonal birth control methods, for example:
  • Birth control pills
  • Birth control patch
  • Vaginal ring
  • Implants
  • Injections
• Side effects of hormonal methods of birth control depend upon the method, but may include:
  • Breast tenderness
  • Headaches
  • Anxiety
  • Low libido (sexual desire)
  • Breakthrough bleeding
  • Blood clots
  • Heart attack
  • Stroke
  • Weight gain
  • Acne
  • Mood changes
  • Depression
• No birth control method is 100% effective.
• Birth control does not protect a person from contracting sexually transmitted diseases (STDs).
• The ultimate decision of which birth control method to use is best made by each individual woman in consultation with her health-care professional. Each method has risks, benefits, advantages, and disadvantages.

Birth control pills, also known as oral contraceptives, have been marketed in the United States since 1962. Over the past 40 years, the type of estrogen and progestin (hormones) used in the pills has been altered and the amounts/potencies of hormones in these products has been decreased.

Birth control pills today are designed so as to enhance safety and reduce side effects. Lower doses of estrogen are associated with a decrease in side effects, such as weight gain, breast tenderness, and nausea.

Birth control pills are taken by mouth and swallowed with a liquid. Several types of birth control pills are chewable. These pills contain the same hormones, progestin and estrogen, that are present in standard birth control pills. Some packages contain 21 active pills and 7 inactive pills to be taken throughout one menstrual cycle. You may chew the pills or swallow them whole. If you chew the pill, you should drink eight ounces of water afterward to make sure the full dose is absorbed from your stomach. The chewable version has similar side effects to other birth control pills, such as an increased risk for blood clots, heart attacks, and strokes.

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