The nail biting anxiety and dil ka zoro se dhadakna as you wait for the pregnancy test to indicate a negative result is real. It’s understandable because you’re not yet ready for what comes next if there are two lines. Ye pal pal ki chinta ko door rakhne ke liye you can do one thing. Turn to birth control pills.
But you’re in the murky lands of the unknown because your biology teacher skimmed over the oral contraception topic and you’re left scratching your head and filled with questions like do they work? Will they mess up your period cycle? Are they safe? Ghabrate kyun ho? You’re not alone, and we’re here to explain it all. This is your birth control pill guide, so read until the end to find all the answers.
What Are Birth Control Pills?
Over the contraceptive uses of the pill, it also regulates your period cycle, balances the hormones and, in some cases, cures your acne
Kicking it off with the basics, birth control pills are a form of oral contraceptive that females use to prevent pregnancy. While the pill was initially designed with that aim in mind, today those pills do more than that. Over the contraceptive uses of the pill, it also regulates your period cycle, balances the hormones and, in some cases, cures your acne (who wouldn’t want that, right?).
But how do these pills prevent pregnancy? What exactly do they do? Let’s dig in to find out.
3 Ways By Which Birth Control Pills Work
Ye to aap jante hi honge but let’s just refresh it a little bit. Your ovaries produce one egg every menstrual cycle. When this egg comes in contact with a sperm, it gets fertilised. This fertilised egg attaches itself inside your womb and grows into a baby.
There are hormones at play which trigger the release of egg from your ovaries, the releasing of egg is known as ovulation. These hormones also arm your womb to nourish the growing baby.
Now, why are we talking about these things? To explain how birth control pills work. And here’s 3 ways by which it works.
- These birth control pills do is to interfere with your ovulation cycle and stop it from happening. No egg, no fertilisation. And, thus, no pregnancy. Aapke normal birth control pills mein hote hai synthetic-made female hormones, oestrogen and progesterone. These hormones, once inside your body, signal your body that you’re “pregnant” (by mimicking the levels of hormones during a natural pregnancy). Now that your body thinks you’re pregnant, ovulation does not occur.
- The other thing it does is create trouble for the sperm in finding the egg. The pill changes up the cervical mucus composition so that it’s difficult for the sperm to pass through and come in contact with the egg.
- These pills also prevent you from getting pregnant by altering the lining of your womb so that the fertilised egg doesn’t get all cosy and implants itself there.
Read Birth Control 101: Picking The Method That Is Right For You
How Effective Are They?
They work 99% of the time when you take them as prescribed by your doctor and adhere to the routine daily.
Research has shown that only 9 out of 100 females risk getting pregnant while on birth control pills. The effectiveness of the pill has been proven time and again over the years. They work 99% of the time when you take them as prescribed by your doctor and adhere to the routine daily.
But oops ek din bhool gaye? Ab kya karein?
What To Do If You Miss A Dose?
…if you’re forgetful and don’t remember it until the next day, you should take 2 pills to balance it out. If you skip more than 2 pills, it’s time to ring up the doctor.
Birth control pills are prescribed in the form of combination pills to be taken every day for a month and then a week of placebo pill or progesterone only pill known as mini pill. But what if you forget one dose?
If you remember that you’ve forgotten to take the pill the same day, immediately take the pill. But if you’re forgetful and don’t remember it until the next day, you should take 2 pills to balance it out. If you skip more than 2 pills, it’s time to ring up the doctor. Your doctor might advise you to start the pill from next week or ask you to ditch the pack and start a new one.
In case you’re planning to have sex, don’t think that missing a day or two won’t disrupt the cycle you’ve made. Ensure both yourself and your partner and use common contraceptives like condoms to prevent pregnancy.
Read: Infertility Specialist Dr Sushma Tomar Discusses Birth Control & Family Planning
8 Benefits Of Taking Birth Control Pills
Besides the fact that they’re more effective than condoms, here are some added benefits of using one:
- Reduces menstrual cramps
- Regulates and lightens your period
- Reduces chances of ectopic pregnancy
- Treats acne, in some cases
- Prevents bone thinning
- Lowers risk of cancer
- Balances iron levels
- Helps with PMS (premenstrual syndrome)
They’re easy to take and very convenient. All you ladies have to do is stick to the calendar strictly. If you’re someone who forgets things very often, there are apps out there that are made for the specific purpose of keeping you on track.
9 Possible Side Effects Of Taking Birth Control Pills
Pills ke gungan toh bahut gaa liye..but are there any negatives? While you now know how easy and effective the pills are, it doesn’t change the fact they’re in the plain field with your hormones, thoda upar niche toh ho sakta hai. Don’t be scared, these issues can be dealt with within 3-4 months and that too without lingering problems.
Although a word of advice, you should consult your doctor if any of these side effects occur frequently for a long time.
- Spotting between periods
- Nausea
- Breast tenderness
- Headaches and migraine
- Weight gain
- Mood changes
- Missed periods
- Decreased libido
- Vaginal discharge
6 Health Conditions That Prevent You From Taking These Pills
If you’re not someone who smokes, there’s a good chance you can safely administer birth control pills orally. You can take the pills until you hit the menopause without any worries after consulting to your doctor. Although you might not be able to use birth control pills if you have:
- Serious heart problems
- Kidney/liver issues
- Cancer
- Blood clots in your body
- High BP
- Migraine with aura
These health complications can level up the risk factor of birth control pills. So always let your doctor know full medical details of your past and genetic disorders in your family before starting with the birth control pills.
FAQs
1. Do birth control pills cause infertility?
Simply answering the question, no. The birth control pills only alter your hormones to prevent pregnancy for the time duration in which they’re taken.
2. Do the pills affect my breasts?
Yes, and it’s normal initially because the hormones packed in the pills cause you to retain water in your breasts and promote breast tissue growth.
3. Do the pills make you gain weight?
Although it varies with every case, you might get a little spike on the weight scale because of all the bloating.
In and all, birth control pills are a wonderful and easy contraceptive method you should definitely look into. #BeALittleMore carefree and tension-free while you maintain a healthy sex life because the chance of getting pregnant is minimal. Consult your doctor for the best birth control prescription so that you can avoid health issues, which may arise due to the side effects.
Did this guide answer all your questions? If not, ask your questions in the comments down below and also tell us if you’ve ever been on a birth control pill. How was your experience? Share your story with us!
Open up like never before and participate in conversations about beauty, entrepreneurship, mental health, menstrual & sexual health, and more. Desi women, join our community NOW!