Oral contraceptives - a guarantee of safety

Oral contraceptives - a guarantee of safety
Combined

oral contraceptives Oral contraceptives - a pill to prevent unwanted pregnancies, which are sold only by prescription. There combined oral contraceptives that include two hormones (estrogen and progestin) and contraceptives containing a progestin only. Those and other means of contraception is currently producing numerous pharmaceutical companies under different brand names.

Combined contraceptives are somewhat more effective than the progestin-only contraceptives, and most of the women chooses them. However, some women combined pill cause severe headaches and high blood pressure; in such cases it is recommended to use progestin-only contraceptives.

Not all combined and progestin-only pills are the same - the dose of hormones in them can be very different. Many manufacturers today reduce the dose of estrogen oral contraceptives - it is believed that such drugs are safer and have fewer side effects.

All patients who take oral contraceptives, should be at least once a year examined by a gynecologist. Moreover, three months after you start taking the tablets each woman should check your blood pressure.

Women who stopped taking oral contraceptives, fertility is restored, on average, three to six months, although in some cases it happens much earlier.

The hormones in oral contraceptives composition

Estrogen (estradiol)

Estrogen - is one of the major female sex hormones, responsible for the appearance of sexual characteristics and the implementation of various functions unique to the woman's body. Strictly speaking, there are several estrogens, most active of which is estradiol. It is this kind of estrogen included in most oral contraceptives - in combination with a progestin.

When estradiol with the progestin regularly enters the body for most of the menstrual cycle The menstrual cycle - that occurs in different phases? It inhibits the activity of other hormones responsible for reproduction (luteinizing hormone and follicle-stimulating hormone), and prevents ovulation.

Progesterone (Progestin)

Progesterone is composed of contraception may be referred to by one of the following names:

Progesterone - a hormone that is naturally produced in the female body.
Progestogen - a synthetic form of progesterone.

Progestin - the name of any hormone, natural or synthesized, which has the same effect as progesterone. Here, because of its versatility to be used more often this term.

The progestin can be used as a contraceptive by itself or in combination with estrogen. Furthermore, some progestins are part of the implantable and injectable contraceptives.

The following features help prevent pregnancy progestin:

Progestin blocks the production of luteinizing hormone - one of the hormones necessary for ovulation;
Does cervical mucus thick and viscous, allowing the penetration of sperm into the uterus is difficult.

Progestin oral contraceptive composition is usually divided into:

The second generation (levonorgestrel, norethisterone);
Third generation (desogestrel, gestodene, norgestimate, drospirenone). Third Generation Progestins generally cause fewer side effects. However, some studies suggest that they may be associated with an increased (in comparison with the second-generation progestins) the risk of blood clots.

Oral contraceptives extended cycle

Standard packaging with oral contraceptives containing 21 or 28 tablets. New extended-cycle contraceptives are intended not only to prevent pregnancy, but also to reduce - or even cease for a while - menstrual bleeding, and eliminating the associated pain and discomfort. Such contraceptives could be useful, for example, women suffering from diseases that lead to abundant and painful menstruation (such as endometriosis). The composition of oral contraceptives includes all the same estradiol and a progestin (levonorgestrel).

The first vehicle of this type of contraception became Seasonale, received official approval in 2003. The package with the drug contains 81 active pills and 7 placebo. Women taking the contraceptive pill Birth control pills - how effective are they? , Menstruation go once every three months. Tablets Seasonique, which went on sale in 2006, also calculated that a woman's menstrual period will be four per year. During the course of one patient receives 84 tablets containing estradiol and levonorgestrel, and then - 7 tablets with low doses of estradiol.

In 2007 it was officially approved pill Lybrel, also containing estradiol and levonorgestrel. They can be taken 365 days a year, and thanks to them menstruation may stop completely. In clinical trials by the end of the first year of receiving monthly Lybrel stopped 59% of the subjects. In some women, usually during the first 3-6 months, occasionally bleeding occurred - in most cases, smearing and short duration.

Progestin oral contraceptives

Oral contraceptives of this type is typically for 28 days of treatment, and all of the pills in the package are active. Progestin tablets, which are sometimes called mini-pills must be taken every day, at exactly the same time - only if their performance is maximized. If a woman takes another pill just three hours later, she should call your doctor. In most cases, doctors recommend for the next two days to use additional means of contraception.

Those who take progestin-only pills, menstrual bleeding are much less abundant and prolonged than during the reception of the combined oral contraceptive. For some women, menstruation may stop completely. Since these contraceptives contain estrogen, they are a safer choice for patients older than 35 years for women smokers and those who have other risk factors, in which estrogen is undesirable.