Know more about Hormonal methods for birth control

Hormones are chemical messengers that one part of your body sends to another part of your body. These messengers control important bodily functions. Sex hormones, such as estrogen and progesterone, help control a woman's menstrual periods and fertility. Doctors can use these hormones (or their artificial versions) to prevent pregnancy.

What are hormonal birth control methods?

Hormonal birth control methods work in two ways:

1. They prevent your ovaries from releasing eggs
2. They thicken the mucus of the cervix so that sperm cannot pass

If the eggs are not released or the sperm cannot reach them, you cannot get pregnant.

Hormonal contraceptive methods are:

1. Oral contraceptives
2. Skin patch
3. Vaginal ring
4. Implant
5. Injection

How do hormonal birth control methods work?

Hormonal birth control is one of the best methods if you use it correctly. If you do, your chance of getting pregnant in the first year of use is only about 3 in 1000.

Your chance of getting pregnant increases if you don't take the pills correctly, especially if you forget to take them the first week after your period and you also wondering Can you get pregnant on your period?

Who can use hormonal contraceptives?

Most women can use hormonal contraceptives.

You should not take oral contraceptives (pills) that contain estrogen and progesterone if

• You are over 35 years old and suffer from migraines
• You suffer from migraines with aura (symptoms that precede the migraine, such as seeing lights or having unusual sensations on the skin)
• Have or have had blood clots in your legs or lungs
• Have high blood pressure
• You have had diabetes for more than 20 years
• You have high levels of triglycerides (fat in the blood)
• You have heart (heart) disease
• Are 35 or older and smoke more than 15 cigarettes per day
• Have had an organ transplant that results in complications
• You have a liver (liver) disease
• You have had jaundice (yellow skin and eyes) when using birth control before
• Have gallbladder problems
• Have or have had breast cancer
• If you have had weight-loss surgery, you should not take oral contraceptives (pills), but you can use a skin patch or vaginal ring.

What are the different types of hormonal contraceptives?

Talk to your doctor about which method of hormonal birth control is right for you.

Oral contraceptives

Oral contraceptives (birth control pills) contain progesterone and estrogen or only progesterone to prevent you from getting pregnant. Progesterone-only pills are not as effective. Doctors usually prescribe them only if you cannot get estrogen.

You must take a pill every day. If you miss a pill, you can get pregnant. The more pills you miss, the higher the chances of pregnancy. When you stop taking oral contraceptives (the pill), you may be able to get pregnant right away or it may take a few months. Some known names are Norlyda

Some Side effects of oral contraceptives can include

• Bleeding at unexpected times, particularly in the first few months of use
• Feeling of an upset stomach, bloating, and vomiting
• Sore breasts
• Thrombosis in your legs or lungs
• Headache (headache)
• Depression
• Dark spots on the skin (melasma)
• Increased chance of getting cervical cancer (cancer of the cervix)
• Weight gain

Skin patch

A birth control patch is a thin, sticky patch that slowly releases estrogen and progesterone to keep you from getting pregnant. As a general rule, you wear a patch for 7 days and then change it to a new one to wear it for another 7 days. After you have used 3 patches, you wait a week before starting again.

• You may need to use a safe method of contraception (such as a condom or condom ) for the first week of using the patch.
• You may find it easier to remember to wear a patch once a week than to take a birth control pill every day
• The side effects of the patch are similar to those of the pill
• The patch may not be as effective if you are overweight.
• You may feel pain or itching on the skin under the patch or on the skin around it.

Vaginal ring

The vaginal ring is a small plastic device that you put into your vagina. The ring releases estrogen and progesterone to keep you from getting pregnant. Generally, you leave the ring inside your body for 3 weeks and then take it out for 1 week. During that week you may have a menstrual period. When the week is up, you put on a new ring. Or you can leave the ring in for 4 or even 5 weeks; then he throws it away and replaces it with a new one.

• You may need to use a safe method of birth control (such as a condom or condom ) for the first week you use the ring.
• You may find it easier to remember to use a ring once every 3 to 5 weeks than to take a birth control pill every day or put on a patch every week
• On the other hand, since you cannot see or feel the ring, it is easy to forget to remove and replace it.
• The side effects of the ring are similar to those of the pill and patch

Contraceptive implant

A birth control implant is a matchstick-sized rod placed under the skin that releases progesterone to prevent you from getting pregnant.

• An implant is effective for 3 years
• As soon as the implant is removed, you can become pregnant
• Your doctor will place the implant under your skin with a needle-like instrument and remove it through a small incision in your skin.

Implant side effects can include

• No menstrual period
• Bleeding at unexpected times
• Headache (headache)
• Weight gain

Contraceptive vaccine

A contraceptive injection is a long-acting progesterone injection given every 3 months to prevent you from getting pregnant.

• After stopping the injections, it can take up to 18 months before you become pregnant.

Side effects of the injection may include

• Bleeding at unexpected times, especially in the beginning
• No menstrual period
• Weight gain
• Headache (headache)
• Lower bone density (the level of health and strength of your bones), although bone density usually returns to normal levels when you stop giving injections