THE PILL

Combined birth control pills are taken by women. Each pill contains hormones, an estrogen and a progestin. These hormones cause changes in your body (suppress ovulation / thicken the cervical mucus) that prevent you from getting pregnant. The Pill is very effective in preventing pregnancy if it is taken every day about the same time.

The Pill does not protect you against STDs, including AIDS. For protection against disease, you or your partner need to use a condom as well.

You need a prescription from your doctor or a clinic to buy birth control pills. You can buy them from a drugstore or from the clinic. One pack of pills will last for 1 month. Your doctor or nurse will tell you when to take the first one. The last seven pills are a different color and you will get your period for a few days while taking them. You start the next pack of pills as soon as the first pack is finished.

If you take the Pill you should not smoke, because you increase your risk of a heart attack, stroke, or clots in your blood vessels, even if you are a young woman.

When some women use the Pill, they have mild side effects such as gaining a few pounds, nausea, headaches, bleeding a little between periods, breast tenderness, and acne. If these bother you, tell the nurse or doctor who prescribed the Pill.

It is unusual to have serious side effects, but if you do, call your nurse or doctor right away. These serious effects may be signalled by abdominal pain, very bad headaches, unusual pain in your legs, chest pain, eye problems like blurred vision, or difficulty breathing.

POPs

Progestin-only pills (POPs) are birth control pills that contain only one hormone, a progestin, instead of two. They are not as likely to cause side effects such as nausea or breast tenderness. Women who take them may also have less risk of serious side effects like blood clots and strokes. POPs also can be taken by women who are breastfeeding.

POPs are likely to cause changes in your periods. You may have irregular periods, light periods, or none at all.

Because this type of Pill has only one hormone, it must be taken at exactly the same time every day. ANY CHANGE in the time you take this pill will reduce its protection. If you have a hard time sticking to a strict schedule, POPs may not be the right birth control for you.

To get a prescription for progestin-only pills, you must be examined by your doctor or nurse.

Progestin-only birth control pills do not protect you against any STDs, including AIDS.

ARE YOU A GOOD CANDIDATE FOR POPs?

• If you tend to be disorganized or forgetful or if your daily routine is unpredictable, you may find that the rigid pill-taking schedule necessary with the progestin-only pill may not work for you. There is very little margin of error with this method. Even a minor delay in pill-taking can make you susceptible to pregnancy.
• If you are breastfeeding or over age 35, it is likely that your fertility is diminished. The minipill can be a good choice for you - if your lifestyle allows you stick to a schedule.

IMPLANTS (Norplant)

Norplant is a birth control method that uses six tiny capsules that contain a progestin. They are placed just under the skin on the inside of the upper arm. In most women they are barely visible.

The capsules are porous, which means they allow small, regular amounts of progestin to pass into the body and prevent pregnancy. They hold enough progestin to last for 5 years.

Before the capsules are inserted, the skin is made numb in that part of your arm. Then the capsules are inserted with an instrument like a fat ballpoint pen.

The most common side effect is irregular bleeding. This irregularity varies from woman to woman. Some have prolonged menstrual bleeding during the first months afterwards or untimely bleeding or spotting between periods, no bleeding at all, or a combination of these.

With Norplant, there is nothing to remember and no prescription to refill every month. It is extremely effective, yet after it is removed, your periods start again and you can get pregnant almost right away.

Although having Norplant inserted is expensive, it costs less than 5 years of most other types of contraceptives. Norplant does not protect you against STDs, including AIDS.

INJECTIONS (Depo-Provera)

Depo-Provera is a progestin that is given as an injection every 3 months to prevent pregnancy. It is very effective and easy to use because you do not have to remember to take a pill every day or get a prescription refilled.

Depo-Provera does not protect you against STDs. For protection against diseases, you or your partner need to use a condom as well.

To have regular Depo-Provera shots, you need to go to a clinic or to a doctor.

The most common side effect is a change in your periods. Eventually some women have no periods at all. If you stop having the injections, your periods will start again.