THE PILL (oral contraceptives)

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	What is "the Pill"?
	How does the Pill work?
	How effective is the Pill?
	Am I a good candidate for the Pill?
	Are there any reasons why I shouldn't use the Pill?
	Which Pill is right for me?
	What are the most common side effects of the Pill?
	What are the benefits of the Pill?
	When do I start the Pill?
	How do I take the Pill?
	What If I miss a Pill?
	Are there any warning signs I should look out for once I start the Pill?

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What is "the Pill"?

Combined oral contraceptives are commonly known as "the pill".  They contain two man-made hormones called estrogen and progestin.  The various brands of pills differ ONLY by the amount of estrogen in each pill and by the type and amounts of progestin.  Some pills contain a constant dose of hormones while others are phasic in which the amount of hormones change to mimic your natural menstrual cycle.  Each package contains 21 hormonally active pills followed by 7 placebo pills (28-day regimen) or 7 days of taking no pills (21-day regimen).

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How does the Pill work?

The pill prevents ovulation, which is the release of eggs from the ovaries.  It also causes thickening of the cervical mucus to block sperm from entering the cervix and affects the lining of the uterus to prevent implantation of the pregnancy.

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How effective is the Pill?

Among perfect users (women who miss no pills and follow instructions perfectly), only about 1 in 1000 women will become pregnant over the first year of use.  Among typical users, about 3 to 5 in 100 women will become pregnant over one year of use.  Pregnancy rates during typical use are based on the number of missed pills and delay in starting the next pill pack.

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Am I a good candidate for the Pill?

Most healthy women of reproductive years are good candidates for the pill regardless of prior pregnancy history if interested in birth control and are able to take a pill every day.  This includes teens, overweight or underweight women, diabetics without underlying heart disease, women with family history of breast cancer, women over 35 who are non-smokers, and smokers under 35 (however, it is best NOT to take the pill and smoke!)  The pill does NOT protect from sexually transmitted diseases particularly HIV.  If this is a concern you should also use a condom

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Are there any reasons why I shouldn't use the Pill? A woman should not use the pill if she has history of:
	stroke or other diseases of the blood vesses
	blood clots in the lungs or legs
	heart attack
	active liver disease
	migraine headaches with changes in vision or tingling/numbness in the extremities
	age over 35 years and a smoker
	current or past history of breast cancer
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Which Pill is right for me?

There is no exact formula to determine which particular pill is best for you-every woman responds differently to different pills.  Despite advertising, essentially all oral contraceptives work equivalently well.  For you, the best pill is the one with the least amount of estrogen that does the job.  In addition to protecting you from pregnancy, the pill should regulate your periods and some women do need more estrogen for this purpose.  Price is another consideration.  Most pills are $25-$35 or more per month.  Many health insurance prescription plans do not cover birth control pills.  The more popular, better-advertised pills can be more expensive.  There are equally effective and appropriate pills for you that are less expensive.

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