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Many myths have arisen around contraception. The answers to the following questions will allow you to dispel your doubts, look at the advantages and disadvantages of individual solutions, and above all, choose the method that is right for you.
Yes, the hormone levels may turn out to be lower and sometimes too low to produce a contraceptive effect. Moreover, in obese women whose BMI exceeds 30, hormonal contraception (in the form of a pill, patch or vaginal ring) is contraindicated due to possible complications resulting from increased body weight. These include thrombosis, high blood pressure and stroke.
No, alcohol consumption alone does not affect the effectiveness of hormonal contraception. However, many women forget to take a tablet when relaxed after drinking alcohol. Also, vomiting after intoxication will reduce the effect of the tablet. For this reason, it is worth being careful when combining birth control pills and alcohol. This combination is also dangerous due to its adverse effects on the liver.
Yes, the “enemy” of pills are some antibiotics, especially substances such as rifampicin and tetracycline. Therefore, during antibiotic treatment, it is worth using additional methods of preventing pregnancy, for example in the form of a condom. Some sedatives, sleeping pills, and anti-epileptics work in a similar way. In the case of their use, you should always consult your doctor about their influence on the contraceptive effect.
Commonly used paracetamol, contained in many popular tablets, if we significantly exceed the recommended dose. The effect of the pills can be influenced by some commonly considered safe herbs – primarily St. John’s wort and angelica. Vitamin C, used in doses above 1000 mg, can act similarly, interfering with the absorption of hormones.
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No, contraceptive pills can be used successfully for many years as long as they are well tolerated and there is no need to take breaks. Additionally, it has been scientifically proven that long-term use of hormonal contraception reduces the risk of developing uterine, ovarian and colon cancer. Another myth is the belief that the use of birth control pills negatively affects a woman’s fertility. This does not mean, however, that a woman who started taking pills at 20 and quit at 30 will have the fertility rate of a XNUMX-year-old woman. In this sense, contraceptive pills are not so-called «Fertility preservation».
The Pearl Indicator tells you about the effectiveness of the contraceptive method in question. It determines the number of pregnancies among hundreds of women using the method during the year. For example, a factor of 5 says that out of a hundred women, a pregnancy was 5. The lower the Pearl Index, the more effective the method. Efficiency can also be expressed as a percentage.
Contraception is selected by a physician after a thorough interview and examination. When recommending the chosen hormonal method, he takes into account: health factors, age, weight, lifestyle, expectations of the woman, as well as whether she was giving birth or planning a baby in the near future. According recommendations of the Polish Gynecological Society Before starting a contraceptive, the examination should include: a thorough medical history, blood pressure measurement, breast examination, gynecological examination combined with a smear test.
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No, birth control pills are wrongly viewed as the primary and only cause of weight gain in women. Many clinical trials have not shown a significant increase weight among women taking birth control pills. A large study based on numerous scientific studies on the side effects of hormonal contraception concluded that the pills are unlikely to cause weight gain.
Nevertheless, it is worth remembering that every woman reacts differently to administered medications and some patients gain weight significantly in the first months after taking the oral contraceptive pill. In such a situation, we should always consider changing to a previously used preparation for a different one or completely abandoning contraception based on estrogen-progestogen preparations.
Also check:
- What is the tablet after
- Pregnancy after the pill – contraceptive effectiveness
The contraceptive patch can be applied to one of three places on the skin: the upper arm, stomach or buttocks. It is important not to stick the patch twice in the same place. This does not mean that you have to change a part of the body every time – it is enough to stick it a few centimeters lower, higher or next to it. Sticking the patch on is very simple – hold the patch with a warm and dry hand for at least 30 seconds, and after a week peel off and put on a new one.
Normal use should not be used during breastfeeding two-component pill due to the estrogen contained in it. You can only take the pill that contains one hormone, the progestogen. It has been proven safe for the health of the baby, even though it passes into breast milk to a small extent.
One-component pill you can start using it one month after giving birth. It should be taken continuously, without seven-day breaks. You can also receive hormonal injections while breastfeeding (every three months, the first one: 6–8 weeks after the birth), which saves you from having to remember to swallow a tablet every day.
Modern preparations are safe during long-term use. So there is no need to take breaks. It is only worth remembering that after many years of using contraception, return to fertility may be slightly longer.
- Also read: NuvaRing – a new method of contraception
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