Pill

Birth control pills, (oral contraceptives, “the pill”, OCs, BCPs) are one of the most popular and effective forms of birth control, used daily by more than 10 million American women. For most women, it is very safe. The risks of using today's lower dosage pills are very small and the health benefits can be great.

It works by preventing the ovaries from releasing any eggs. If no egg is being released, no fertilization can take place. If used correctly, the Pill is more than 99% effective in preventing a pregnancy. However, the pill will not provide any protection from a sexually transmitted infection or disease.

Birth control pills can:

• Help regulate your monthly period
• Cause less bleeding and fewer cramps during periods
• Reduce symptoms of pre-menstrual syndrome (PMS)
• Decrease acne and facial hair
• Help protect you from cancer of the ovaries and uterus
• Provide some protection against pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), a major cause of infertility among women.
• Lower the risk of getting fibrocysts in your breasts (non-cancerous lumps) and ovarian cysts

• The Pill comes in multi-colored packs of 28 pills.
• Take the first pill on the Sunday after the start of your period. If your period starts on a Sunday, take the first pill that day. Otherwise, take it on the next Sunday. It doesn’t matter if you are still bleeding or if your period has ended. Take one pill at the same time each day. Taking a pill every 24 hours keeps the hormone levels steady. Try hard not to miss by more than an hour or two. Allow the hormones to start working in the body.
• While the pill starts to work, use another method of birth control, like abstinence or condoms, for the first 7 days of the first pill cycle.
• There are no days off — take a pill every day. When you finish a pack, the next day you will start a new pack.
• You should get your period during the last week of pills in each pill pack.
• There are certain medications that can make the pill less effective. Be sure to tell your health care provider if you are taking any medications. Certain antibiotics are an example — use another method of birth control, like condoms, during the time you are on them and for the rest of that pill pack.

• If you miss a pill, take it as soon as you remember and use another method of birth control until you have taken 7 pills correctly. You can take two pills at the same time if you miss it by a whole day. If you are more than 6 hours late taking your pill, you can get pregnant.
• If you miss two days, take two pills for two days in a row and use another method for the rest of the pill pack.
• If you miss more than two days, stop the pills, use another method of birth control and restart a new pack of pills the first Sunday after your next period.
• Make sure you don’t run out! One month before your prescription runs out, call the clinic to schedule an appointment for a yearly exam.

You may have minor side effects such as:

• Spotting or bleeding at some time other than the last week of the pack
• Nausea
• Mood swings
• Breast tenderness
• Weight gain or loss
• Depression

These will most likely go away after 2 or 3 months of pill use. Keep taking your pill each day and it will be 99% effective even if you do have one or more of these side effects. If you feel like the side effects are so bothersome that you want to quit taking the pill, be sure to call the clinic first! We can help you decide what to do.

Serious side effects are very rare in teens and young adults. In virtually every case they happen to someone with risk factors, like:

• Smoking
• Migraine headaches that are caused by blood vessel changes in your brain
• Blood clotting problems
• Liver disease
• Diabetes
• High blood pressure

If you have one of these or any other serious health problems, you must tell your health care provider so s/he can help you decide if the pill is right for you.

Always pay attention to symptoms of serious side effects — see your provider right away if you have:

• A—abdominal pain
• C—chest pain
• H—headaches: frequent or severe
• E— eyes: blurred or double vision
• S—swelling or pain in your legs

Call us at West Suburban Teen Clinic if you have any questions about birth control pills or any other topics that affect teens and young adults. We are here to help.