Today, one of the most reliable and affordable means of protection against pregnancy for every girl is birth control pills. Oral contraceptives (OC) have a relatively low price, a minimum of contraindications and ease of use. In addition, they are 99.7% reliable, while condoms are only 85%.
How to take birth control pills? How do they work? Which is better to choose? This and many other things will be discussed now.
Action on the body
Before talking about how to take birth control pills, it is necessary to consider the principle on which they work.
So, for conception, the meeting of the egg with the sperm is necessary. After this has happened, it penetrates the uterine cavity and is fixed there.
This process controls the pituitary gland of the brain,regulating the production of sex hormones by the ovaries, which include progesterone and estrogen. It is their balance that creates all the conditions necessary for the origin of conception.
Contraceptive pills, due to their composition, prevent the maturation of the egg, interfere with the penetration of spermatozoa into the fallopian tubes, and also change the endometrium of the uterine cavity. In total, OK contains two active components:
- Estrogens. They do not allow the egg to mature in the follicle, disrupt the structure of the endometrium, increase the peristalsis of the fallopian tubes, and also inhibit the production of their own hormones by the ovaries.
- Progesterone. It affects the increase in the density of mucus in the cervical canal, inhibiting the movement of sperm. Also, progesterone disrupts the release of statins and blocks the production of GnRH. As a result, the ovulation process is inhibited.
In simpler terms, oral contraceptives create the maximum barrier to the origin of conception.
How to choose?
Which contraceptive pills are better to take, only an obstetrician-gynecologist can say. It will be necessary to conduct a series of studies that will help identify the presence or absence of contraindications for the girl to receive OK. They include:
- Collecting an anamnesis. The doctor will find out the complaints, the time of the onset of the first menstruation and sexual activity, as well as how often the girl has her periods, what character they have and whether she has PMS. It also specifies the presence/absence of pregnancy andabortion.
- General and gynecological examination.
- Blood donation for general, biochemical and hormonal analysis.
- Ultrasound of the pelvic organs.
- Smears for oncocygology, specific infections and flora.
- Breast ultrasound.
After studying the results, the doctor will offer several OK options, from which the girl can choose the one that she liked the most.
General admission rules
If the doctor told the girl which birth control pills can be taken, then she should learn the simple rules regarding their use before starting the course:
- You need to drink them every day, at the same time. It is advisable to set an alarm if the girl is forgetful.
- Missed a pill? It needs to be drunk as soon as possible. Even if you have to accept the next one along with it, i.e. two at the same time.
- Did you have diarrhea or vomiting within 4 hours of taking the pill? Then you have to take another one. Not all substances could be absorbed.
- If a girl goes OK after removing the vaginal ring or hormone patch, then you need to take the first pill on the same day.
Whatever oral contraceptive a girl chooses, the rules remain the same. Because all OKs operate on the same principle.
OK with 21 pills
As mentioned earlier, there are many oral contraceptives. And now it’s worth talking about how to take birth controltablets for 21 days. Such as Yarina, Regulon, Lindinet 20, Novinet, etc.
The listed drugs are available in a blister pack of 21 tablets. They should be started on the first day when menstruation begins. The contraceptive effect occurs after a few hours, and additional protection with condoms is not required. If the girl decided to start taking it on another day, then she will have to use them for the next 7 days.
At the end of the pack, you must take a break for 7 days. Approximately three days later, menstruation (more precisely, withdrawal bleeding) should begin. At this time, protection is also not required. But then, exactly after 7 days, you need to start the next pack.
OK with 28 tablets
Now we will talk about a popular tool called "Jess". This drug contains 28 tablets per pack.
Of these, 24 active (pink), containing active substances, and 4 placebo (white). They are necessary in order not to forget about the start of the next pack. Having taken the last, 28th tablet, the girl must prepare a new one the next day in order to start a new course.
Well, how to take birth control pills "Jess", clearly. Now we can talk about who this OK suits.
This is a microdosed monophasic formulation containing ethinyl estradiol and drospirenone. It is suitable for both nulliparous girls and adult women. The instructions say that it can be used from adolescence to the onset of menopause.
OK for women after 30
Many oral contraceptives are universal. But be that as it may, it is necessary to separately talk about which birth control pills are best taken after 30 years. A woman who has crossed this line should pay special attention to the issue of choosing OK, since for many, the hormonal background changes with age, and she may not be an exception.
It is best to opt for mini-pills, which are gentle on the body and have a very short list of side effects and contraindications. This category includes the following OK:
- "Charosetta".
- "Continuin".
- "Micronor".
- "Exluton".
- "Norethisterone".
- "Linestrenol".
- "Orgametril".
- "Primolyut-Nor".
- "Laktinet".
- "Ovret".
- "Levonorgestrel".
The choice, as you can see, is impressive. And if a woman started taking birth control pills, but for some reason they did not suit her, then she can always switch to another drug. But only after the completion of the started packaging.
OK for nulliparous
It is also important to talk about which birth control pills are best for women who decide not to have children, or for those who are not yet ready for this. For them, microdosed combined oral contraceptives are a good option. Todrugs in this category include:
- "Klayra".
- "Mersilon".
- "Zoeli".
- "Novinet".
- "Logest".
- "Jess".
Separately, I would like to talk about the drug "Klaira". The blister contains 28 tablets of five different types.
The first two, having a dark yellow color, contain estradiol valerate. The next five, pink in color, consist of the same substance with the addition of dienogest. Then comes 17 light yellow tablets. They also contain estradiol valerate and dienogest, but in greater amounts. The next two dark red pills are estradiol valerate, and the last two white pills are placebo.
However, the composition explains the name of the tablets. Therefore, they are combined, since they contain several substances at once, gradually affecting the body. And if OK, designed for 21 days, you can start drinking with any pill, then in this case you need to strictly adhere to the schedule indicated on the blister.
Generic drugs
Earlier, it was said which birth control pills are best taken after 30 years and for those girls who have not given birth. Now you can list the names of universal drugs. That is, those that are used by everyone: from young girls to women approaching menopause. These include:
- "Yarina".
- "Midian".
- "Three Mercy".
- "Regulon".
- "Lindinet 20".
- "Novinet".
- "Janine".
- "Diana-35".
All listed preparations contain 21 tablets. They have roughly the same composition. The prices are different. "Yarina", for example, costs about 1200 rubles. And "Regulon" - about 400-450 rubles.
Laktinet
This drug needs to be told separately. After all, its composition, unlike many other means, includes desogestrel - the only active ingredient that contains a progestogen. It is very similar to progestogens, the female sex hormones produced by the body.
"Lactinet" is ideal for lactating women, ladies over 45 years old, many smokers, as well as those who are not suitable for combined OK.
But for girls who are in active reproductive age (ie, up to 35), it is not recommended. Since its protective effect against pregnancy is slightly lower than that of the previously listed drugs. But otherwise, it is an effective remedy with a minimal list of side effects and contraindications.
Could there be consequences?
Yes, if a girl decides to buy the first drug she comes across without medical advice and start taking it without knowing the instructions. Therefore, you need to be interested in whether it is possible to take birth control pills with an obstetrician-gynecologist, and not with a friend or pharmacist, as many decide to do.
Consequencesmay be:
- Headaches and migraines.
- Swelling caused by fluid retention in the body.
- Bloating.
- Nausea and vomiting.
- Chest breast tenderness.
- Vaginal discharge of unclear nature, uterine bleeding.
- Fatigue and irritation.
- Allergic reaction.
- Impaired sense of smell, sight or hearing.
- Pain in limbs.
- The appearance of a feeling of tightness in the chest.
- Cough.
- Rash.
- BP problems.
The list goes on. The hormonal background is a very subtle mechanism. Therefore, in order to avoid problems and consequences, you need to responsibly choose OK.
Reviews
Well, in the end, it is worth paying attention to the comments left by the girls about various oral contraceptives.
Of course, reviews will not be able to answer the question of which birth control pills to take, since everything is very individual. But here it is quite possible to find out how the drug manifests itself in reality.
Girls who, after the abolition of contraceptives, want to get pregnant, are recommended to take a closer look at Yarina Plus or Jess Plus. They contain folic acid, which accumulates in the body during the intake and further contributes to the full development of the fetus. Women say that after stopping this drug, there are no problems with conception.
According to the reviews left about the drugs,above those classified as universal, they not only have a contraceptive effect. Their long-term use helps to get rid of skin problems (fatty, acne, blackheads), normalize appetite, and also smooth out the signs of PMS. And menstruation becomes much less painful, long and plentiful.
Reviews about mini-pills, in turn, say that the body gets used to these drugs as quickly as possible and without side effects. If in the case of other medicines in the first days after the start of taking there may be nausea, increased appetite and spotting, then they do not entail such consequences.
Do you take birth control pills? This is for each girl to decide for herself. But if she has a regular partner and regular sex, then OK will be the most convenient and, most importantly, reliable option for her.
