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Birth Control Hormones: The Pill

Table of Contents


Overview

Combination pills are used to prevent pregnancy. Most people call them "the pill."

Combination pills release a regular dose of two hormones, estrogen and progestin. They prevent pregnancy in a few ways. They thicken the mucus in the cervix. This makes it hard for sperm to travel into the uterus. And they thin the lining of the uterus. This makes it harder for a fertilized egg to attach to the uterus.

The hormones also can stop the ovaries from releasing an egg each month (ovulation).

You have to take a pill every day to prevent pregnancy.

The packages for these pills are different. The most common one has 3 weeks of hormone pills and 1 week of sugar pills. The sugar pills don't contain any hormones. You have your period on that week. But other packs have no sugar pills. You take hormone pills for the whole month instead. This is called continuous use. With this method, you will not get your period as often. Or you may not get it at all.

How well do they work?

In the first year of use:

Be sure to tell your doctor about any health problems you have or medicines you take. Your doctor can help you choose the birth control method that is right for you.

What are the advantages of using combination pills for birth control?

What are the disadvantages of using combination pills for birth control?


Credits for Birth Control Hormones: The Pill

Current as of: November 27, 2023

Author: Healthwise Staff (https://www.healthwise.org/specialpages/legal/abouthw/en)
Clinical Review Board (https://www.healthwise.org/specialpages/legal/abouthw/en)
All Healthwise education is reviewed by a team that includes physicians, nurses, advanced practitioners, registered dieticians, and other healthcare professionals.


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