Which birth control pills are best to take
Contraceptive pills belong to the group of oral contraceptives containing synthetic analogs of female sex hormones, the action of which is aimed at suppressing ovulation. Contraceptive pills differ in composition, mechanism of action and route of administration. Which contraceptive pill is best for a patient, only a doctor can determine.
Contraceptive pill classification
Among the existing methods of contraception, birth control pills are the simplest, most affordable and effective way to prevent unwanted pregnancies. It should be noted that hormone therapy is used not only for contraception. So, contraceptive pills can be prescribed to restore the menstrual cycle, normalize hormonal levels in a woman's body. There are the following groups of birth control pills:
- Combined estrogen-gestagenic contraceptives (monophasic, multiphase);
- Purely progestogenic contraceptives (mini-pills);
- Emergency contraceptive drugs.
Combined birth control pills (COCs) contain two types of hormones - estrogen and progestin. The mechanism of action of any combined contraceptive drugs is based on:
- Suppression of ovulation, which prevents the development and release of the egg;
- Changes in the structure of the uterine lining (endometrium), which prevents the fertilized egg from fixing on the wall of the uterus;
- Thickening of cervical mucus, which is a natural barrier to the penetration of sperm into the cervix, and also prevents bacteria from entering;
- Decreased sperm activity.
Monophasic contraceptive pills contain stable doses of hormones in each pill, while multiphase pills contain a variable ratio of components (estrogen and progestogen). The dose of estrogen in this type of pill is always stable, the dosage of progestogen increases with each successive pill.
Mini-pills or progestogenic contraceptives do not contain estrogen. They contain only the hormone progestin, which blocks the onset of ovulation. This method is less effective than traditional combination drugs. Basically, progestogenic drugs are prescribed to patients for whom estrogen is contraindicated.
Emergency contraception helps prevent unplanned pregnancy after unprotected intercourse. The contraceptive drug must be used within a certain period of time after intercourse (usually 72 hours). This method of contraception is less reliable than taking regular combined birth control pills.
When choosing which contraceptive pill is best to take, you should pay attention to the side effects that are typical for each type of pill:
- Combined birth control pills can cause nausea, vomiting, dizziness, high blood pressure, and tender breasts.
- When taking progestogenic drugs, patients may experience severe pain and abdominal cramps, fatigue and headache, insomnia.
- Taking emergency contraceptive drugs can lead to menstrual irregularities, cause nausea, vomiting, and dizziness.
Which birth control pills are best to take?
In order to choose which contraceptive pills are best to take, it is necessary to consult a gynecologist, who, after an initial examination and examination, will be able to prescribe drugs taking into account the characteristics of the patient's body. It is strictly forbidden to choose on your own which contraceptive pills are best to take. There are a number of contraindications for taking each group of contraceptives.
Combined contraceptive pills are contraindicated in malignant tumors of the mammary glands (breast cancer), breastfeeding, liver and cardiovascular diseases (thrombosis, strokes, heart attacks), diabetes, high blood pressure, during pregnancy or suspected pregnancy.
Progestogenic contraceptive drugs are contraindicated for the same diseases, but their use is allowed with breastfeeding.
Emergency contraceptive drugs are contraindicated in patients with chronic menstrual irregularities.
What are the best birth control pills?
Regardless of the type of contraceptive pill, you can start taking it only with the agreement of the attending physician, who can advise what is the best contraceptive pill for each patient. Given the fact that the mechanism of action of all hormonal contraceptives is almost the same, the best contraceptive pills in each individual case will be those that cause the least side effects and show the maximum effectiveness.
As a rule, any contraceptive pill (except for emergency contraceptives) is started on the first day of the cycle. The blister contains 21 or 28 tablets (in this case 21 + 7). The tablets should be taken every day at a strictly defined time. During the reception, the patient should closely monitor the changes in the body. Normal symptoms during the first cycle of taking hormonal contraceptives are:
- Slight breast enlargement, increased sensitivity;
- Headaches, dizziness.
You should stop taking medications and immediately consult a doctor if the following symptoms occur:
- Hearing and vision impairment;
- Rashes, itchy skin;
- Sudden pressure drops;
- Violation of the menstrual cycle;
- Suspected pregnancy.
These symptoms in most cases indicate an individual intolerance to the drug. It is almost impossible to determine right away which are the best birth control pills for a patient.
The choice of contraceptive pills: which is better, reviews, recommendations of doctors
Regardless of the popularity of this or that drug, it should be remembered that the effectiveness of contraceptive pills largely depends on the frequency of administration and compliance by the patient with all recommendations for use. When choosing contraceptive pills, which are better, reviews of other patients about the effectiveness of the drug may be of little information due to the individual characteristics of each organism.
Doctors do not recommend choosing contraceptive pills, which are better, reviews of which patients can find on the Internet. To choose oral contraceptives, you need to contact a gynecologist, who will select a drug taking into account the physiology of the body, chronic diseases and a predisposition to them.
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