What Are Oral Contraceptives?
Oral contraceptives, also known as
birth control pills, are prescription medications taken by mouth to prevent pregnancy. Many different oral contraceptives are currently available
(see List of Birth Control Pills). While all are approved for pregnancy prevention, some are approved for additional uses.
As with any medicine, side effects are possible with oral contraceptives. However, not all women who use them will experience side effects. In fact, most women tolerate them quite well. If side effects do occur, in most cases, they are minor and either require no treatment or can easily be treated by you or your healthcare provider. Serious side effects are less common.
Common side effects of oral contraceptives include but are not limited to:
(Click Oral Contraceptive Side Effects to learn more, including potentially serious side effects you should report immediately to your healthcare provider.)
What Should I Tell My Healthcare Provider?
You should talk with your healthcare provider prior to using oral contraceptives if you have:
- A history of heart attack or stroke
- A history of blood clots or a clotting disorder
- Chest pain
- High blood pressure (hypertension)
- Liver disease, such as liver failure, cirrhosis, hepatitis, or liver tumors
- Cancer (or if you have had cancer in the past)
- Yellowing of the eyes or skin (jaundice) during a prior pregnancy or oral contraceptive use
- High cholesterol
- Gallbladder disease
- Heart valve problems
- Depression
- Unexplained vaginal bleeding
- Any allergies, including allergies to foods, dyes, or preservatives.
Also, let your healthcare provider know if you:
Make sure to tell your healthcare provider about all other medicines you are taking, including prescription and non-prescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements.
How Do Oral Contraceptives Work?
Oral contraceptives contain hormones that act in a few different ways to prevent pregnancy. Most are classified as combined oral contraceptives and contain two different types of hormones: an estrogen and a progestin. The hormones in combined oral contraceptives prevent pregnancy primarily by stopping ovulation (the maturation and release of eggs from the ovaries). However, they also work to prevent pregnancy in two other, less important ways. Oral contraceptives change the cervical mucus (the fluid of the cervix, which is the lower, narrow part of the uterus that is connected to the vagina), making it more difficult for sperm to enter the uterus. They also alter the lining of the uterus (the endometrium), making it less receptive to an embryo.
Some oral contraceptives contain just a progestin and no estrogen. These are known as progestin-only contraceptives. These medications rely more heavily on changes in the cervical mucus and uterine lining, since they are less effective at preventing ovulation (only about half of women who take them stop ovulating). In comparison, combined oral contraceptives stop ovulation in almost all women (when taken correctly).
Different Kinds of Oral Contraceptives
There are several different types of oral contraceptives, and they can be categorized in a few different ways. One basic way to categorize them is by hormone content (combined versus progestin-only). Oral contraceptives are also divided into types by the different "phases" in each pack (monophasic versus biphasic versus triphasic). Some newer drugs are classified as extended-cycle oral contraceptives, which reduce or eliminate the number of menstrual periods per year. Sometimes, oral contraceptives are categorized by the strength of hormones (low-dose versus high-dose).
General considerations for when and how to use oral contraceptives include the following:
- Oral contraceptives come in tablet form. They are taken by mouth once a day.
- You can take oral contraceptives with or without food. If the pills bother your stomach, try taking them with food.
- It is important to take oral contraceptives every day and at the same time each day. Try to pick a time that will be easy to remember, such as at bedtime or breakfast. If you have trouble remembering, please talk with your healthcare provider, as missing pills increases your risk of pregnancy.
- Make sure you know exactly what to do if you miss any pills. In some circumstances, you may need to use a backup method of contraception, such as condoms, for seven days. Each pack comes with a leaflet with detailed instructions about how to start the pills and what to do if you miss any. Because these instructions may be different for different kinds of oral contraceptives, make sure to follow the instructions for your specific product.
- Although oral contraceptives are quite effective when taken properly, taking them incorrectly increases your risk of unintentional pregnancy.
(For more information on how to take your specific oral contraceptive, see the information for your particular pill on emedtv.com.)
What If I Take an Overdose of Oral Contraceptives?
Women who take too much of an oral contraceptive may experience the following symptoms:
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Vaginal bleeding
- Other menstrual irregularities.
How Should They Be Stored?
Keep oral contraceptives in their original package. The packaging is designed to help you remember to take the tablets each day and in the right order. Keep the package at room temperature, away from moisture and heat.
Keep these and all other medications out of the reach of children.
Missing doses of oral contraceptives increases the risk of pregnancy. What you should do depends on how many tablets you have missed and where exactly you are in your cycle. Refer to the patient information that comes with each pack or consult your healthcare provider if you are not sure what to do.
Generic Oral Contraceptives
Currently, many, but not all, oral contraceptives are available in generic form. Interestingly, all generic oral contraceptives use their own "brand" names, not the usual generic names
(see Generic Birth Control Pills).
