Birth control pills are one of the best medicines for birth control and avoid unwanted abortions. If you are not planning for a child, then birth control pills are an absolute compulsion. And yes, most of us agree to it, but we are all confused what type of birth control pills to take. With a wide range of birth control pills available in the market, making the right decision is needed and very important.

Types of Birth Control Pills

Today birth control pills come under a range of brand names and have different chemical makeup and features. The two most common type of birth control pills are those offering a mix of synthetic estrogen and progestin hormones and the other type is that are only progestin based hormone pills.

The birth control pills that contain both estrogen and progestin prevent ovulation and also thicken the cervical mucus, making it very difficult for sperm to travel into the uterus.

The other type of progestin pill works primarily to thicken the cervical mucus. The pill creates an artificial period for the week when you are not taking any of the hormones.

Number of Pills

One important feature you should look out for in different brands of birth control pills is the number of pills included in the pack. Generally, birth control pills are sold in compacts containing either 21 or 28 pills. This is basically due to an average women’s menstrual cycle, which includes 21 days between seven day periods. Whether you are using an estrogen or progestin compact with 21 or 28 pills, only 21 of those pills will contain the hormones that are required to prevent pregnancy. These 21 birth control pills are taken in your menstrual cycle when you are not having your periods. The remaining 7 pills are placebos. It will not really contribute to your birth control pattern.
Many women prefer to take 28 birth control pills as it keeps them in a habit of taking a pill every day, including days of their periods. On the other hand there are women who can manage with 21 days. At the end the result is the same.
If you are prescribed to take progestin birth control pills then it is best to go for 28 day pills without a break. A woman taking progestin pill may or may not experience a monthly period. There is also an option to take birth control pills that decrease the number of menstrual period to once every three months.

Are these Birth Control Pills Effective?

The effectiveness of your birth control pills is determined by how carefully you take your pills. They should be taken daily at approximately the same time. The effectiveness also depends on whether your pills contain the right mixture of progestin and estrogen or it only contains progestin. If you are taking your progestin and estrogen pill regularly for 21 days, your chances of remaining pregnancy free is around 98%. However, since progestin pill doesn’t prevent ovulation, your chances of getting pregnant are higher with these pills.

Side Effects

Almost all birth control pills are considerably safe. However, there are some side effects that have been reported like:

• Blood clots
• Weight gain
• Mood changes
• Irregular menstrual bleeding
• Headaches
• Dizziness
• Breast tenderness
• Depression
• Jaundice

How to Get the Pill

Getting a birth control pill should be done after discussing it with your gynecologist. Your individual health needs will be evaluated and accordingly a birth control method will be advised. There are also some medical conditions under which you shouldn’t use birth control pills, like:

• Unexplained vaginal bleeding
• Pregnancy
• An abnormal growth or cancer of the breast

So the next time you reach out for the birth control pill, check out all details, talk to your doctor and then go for it.