Category: Birth control pills

It would be wrong to state, that birth control pills do not have any influence on weight gain. It was noticed that women, who take a combine pill, especially an old one, which contains high dose of estrogen, have put on weight. But the weight may increase because of some another reasons.

What are the reasons of weight gain?

Firstly, your organism may store unnecessary liquid and salt in your organism and then you may gain not only some pounds, but also feel some discomfort – tummy blowing, pain in your breast and etc. In addition, you may gain weight because of unhealthy eating and if you do not exercise.

Hormone and weight

Even if you don’t take any hormone contraception, your weight may vary during the natural cycle (especially during PMS ).

Female hormones estrogens stimulate the storage of salt and water in your organism and do not let them to flow out through kidney. Another natural female hormone is progesterone, which ovarian produce during the second stage of cycle, but it eliminates an excess of salt and water from your organism. If there is a balance of both these hormones, women can keep a desirable weight off.

Birth control pills and weight

Taking hormone contraception, which contains estrogen and progestin (birth control pills, contraceptive patch , and the vaginal contraceptive ring ), the ovarian produce less estrogen and practically don’t produce natural progesterone. The estrogen in birth control pills is similar to natural estrogen, but progestin is not similar to natural progesterone and cannot regulate the liquid balance in your organism. Because of this reason some women, who prefer hormone method of birth control , may put on weight.

However, today there is a new progestin, which has the same feature as natural progesterone.

There are many ways of birth control . Oral contraceptives in general are the most reliable way to prevent unwanted pregnancy. Today’s market can offer you more than fifty oral contraceptives which can be prescribed by your physician according to your age, weight, menstrual cycle and other factors. Yasmin birth control pills are the introduction in contraceptives market. It is the most recent birth control pill approved by Food and Drug Administration in May 2001. Its effectiveness is 99% if used in the right way and it has many the same features as other combined birth control pills .

Yasmin birth control pill

Yasmin is a pack of 28 pills whearas there’s 21 of the which combine the same amount of two women hormones progestin and estrogen. The last seven one have no active ingredients and just helps you keep the habit of taking pills regularly. Used in three weeks it results in a period and no pregnancy. What is so special about Yasmin? Basically it is the only known birth control pill to contain 3mg of synthetic progestin named drospirenone. Drospirenone regulates water retention in the body and also has anti-male hormone features. Progestin is usually derived from testosterone while drospirenone is not.

How does it work?

While using contraceptives the body “thinks” it is pregnant and in such way the egg is prevented from being released. Also the cervical mucus get thicker and in such way becomes an obstacle for the spermatozoon to get toward the egg and fertilize it.

Benefits of Yasmin birth control pill

The benefits of this birth control method are as follows. First of all it helps to treat a premenstrual disorder (PMS ) from which suffer many women in the whole world. Your menstrual period will become milder that is to say they will not take long and the blood flow will be less than ever. It will not let you gain the additional weight.  Yasmin birth control pill is a good prevention of acne. Also it might prevent you from various forms of cysts. As during the time you take Yasmin pills you are not ovulating this makes less risk to gain ovarian cysts. The good thing about these pills is that they prevent from ectopic pregnancy. There is also a reduced risk for endometrial cancer. The longer you use the pills the stronger protection is and it lasts for a period of time even when you stop using pills.

Yasmin birth control pill side effects

Speaking about side effects they are common to many birth control pills . For example while using Yasmin you can suffer from headaches, nausea, breast tenderness, abdominal cramps or bloating or have Melasma (a blotchy darkening of the skin) There are some factors which can not allow woman have these contraceptives, that is why you always need to consult with your doctor. Special precautions should be taken to women who suffer from kidney or liver disease as drospirenone can increase potassium level in the blood, also for those individuals who have any kind of heart disease or have a history of blood clots in the legs, lungs or in the eyes. Visiting a doctor is also necessary in order to get Yasmin as it is a prescription medicine.

Condom was the only choice for men in reversible birth control for ages. Since the 1960’s, when female birth control pill has been invented, women seemed to have more control over contraception than men. It seems that the situation is going to change anytime soon because various new reversible birth control methods have been found for men. Question is, whether men are going to use their new options in birth control or not.

A thirty-year-old Michael said that he was happy to hear that men are given a new option of contraception but he also added that he would not even consider taking a hormonal form of birth control. And many men are very anxious about possible side effects of hormones, since they are aware of women’s experience with hormonal contraception in the past. At the moment, no registered substances of hormonal or non-hormonal male contraception are available in the market. Scientists have developed the first hormonal birth control method for men in the 90’s. Even though, it seemed to be a huge revolution in the history of human contraception, no registered form of this type of contraception is available in the market yet.

New method of male contraception

This hormonal method of contraception for men is a combined form of an implant and injection. An implant contains testosterone, a male hormone, and has to be inserted under the skin and changed every 4 months. Additional injections of progestin, a female hormone, should be made 3 times a month.

This method switches off sperm production reversibly but additional amount of testosterone should be added to keep male functions and libido at the normal state. A lot of clinical trials have to be passed yet, but yet hormonal male contraception, either injectable or implant showed no significant side effects, apart from minor headaches, increased nocturnal perspiration and mood swings. It seems that this is good news, and soon patches, creams or even birth control pill might be available.

However, even though this method was 99.9 % effective in birth control, it is still not available in the market due to side effects and negative male opinion towards hormonal substances of contraception.

There were several articles about male contraception in the news recently. It seems that two separate drugs were developed with totally different types of action. One of them, called Adjudin, is still in preclinical stage. At the moment this drug in the injectable form is being tested on rats in laboratories. So far it has shown high efficiency, total reversibility and no side effects.

Adjudin

Adjudin stops germ cells from developing into sperm after injecting the substance into the bellies of male rats. This contraceptive showed to be effective in birth control. Fertility returned after 20 weeks. And even though this drug is far from the use in humans, men have significant hope for the new contraceptive option to be available.

Another recent drug that scientists are even happier about, since it has been already undergoing clinical trials, is a non-hormonal form of male contraception. British scientists developed this new drug after noticing that patients treated with drugs against schizophrenia or hypertension tended to have no ejaculation.

A new male birth control pill contains a hormone-free substance that influences contraction of the muscles that are responsible for ejaculation but does not affect orgasm sensation. Therefore sperm does not ejaculate but a man can still experience orgasm and involve himself into a normal sexual intercourse.

This new way of male contraception is absolutely revolutionary, since it does not affect sperm production. It contains no hormones. And it is a totally reversible form of male contraception. The pill has to be taken two hours prior to sexual intercourse, it results in so called “dry ejaculation” and fertility is back again within half a day.

Side effects of male contraceptive

Clinical trials are already being made, showing that no side effects have been found so far. Researchers say that based on many factors this pill could be marketed within five years. However, some are concerned about men’s reactions towards this product. Some men might have problems with the drug because they might feel like losing their virility. Time will reveal, which of the methods is really worth trust but it is already pleasing that men might soon have several new option in birth control .

More and more women around the world choose birth control pill for birth control . 150 million of women are known to be on the pill in the world. Therefore both the benefits and side effects should be considered in order for the women to be safe while using this form of birth control.

Birth control pill benefits

Contraceptive pill is one of the most effective methods of birth control having the efficiency of 99.9% in protecting against unexpected pregnancy. Besides, the pill has other benefits that women may experience. This includes less menstrual flow and cramping, therefore women can feel more comfortable during their period. Contraceptive pill also decreases the risk of the uterus and ovary infection. The use of this mean of birth control also diminishes the chance of ovarian cysts, benign breast cysts and tumors development. The pill is known to decrease the risk of ovarian and uterine cancer. Those women who suffer from acne may benefit from the use of this method of birth control since oral contraceptives improve this condition. The use of birth control pill also improves rheumatoid arthritis.

Birth control pills side effects

Besides a huge amount of benefits provided by this method of birth control, the contraceptive pill has a known number of certain side effects. These adverse reactions have been studied carefully and may be avoided. 40% of women, who are on the pill, are known to experience certain minor or major side effects during the first three months of use. These side effects might be eliminated by changing from one form of oral contraceptives to another, until a woman does not experience any minor or major side effects, associated with the pill.

Minor side effects

Most women face only minor side effects, associated with the use of oral contraceptives. The most frequent minor side effects include light bleeding or spotting between menstrual periods. Some women may experience skipped periods and increased number of vaginal infections, especially candidosis. Others complain of nausea, vomiting, weight change, most often weight gain, and bloating.

It is very hard for the doctor to predict these side effects and to know in advance if a woman will feel any adverse reactions, since the reactions of the body to the new hormonal substances is very individual and varies from one woman to another.

Major side effects

Major side effects, associated with the use of birth control pills , are more serious and sometimes may be even life-threatening. There is a greater risk to get a heart attack, stroke and development of blood clots for those, who are on the pill. However, these side effects are influenced by a number of other habitual and physical factors. Smokers, women who are over 35, have diabetes, cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure and blood cholesterol or triglyceride abnormalities are at a greater risk of developing the above mentioned conditions. Therefore it is highly recommended women, who want to use oral hormonal contraception, to quit smoking.

Other major side effects are aggravation of migraine headaches, gall bladder disease and blood pressure increase. Since all of the major side effects are very serious and needs professional care, women, who are on the pill, are asked to come for the regular check-ups, so that these conditions could be detected at the early stages.

Women should consider carefully and see their doctor immediately if they feel severe abdominal pain, throbbing headache, severe pain in the legs, intense chest pain or shortness of breath, and unexpected eye problems, especially vision disturbances.

Progestin-only pills or mini-pills have a very low dose of progestin and do not contain estrogen, so women should take them daily in the same time without making a break. More to say, progestin-only pills is a good choice for breast-feeding women and for those, who can’t use combined pills.

How progestin-only pills work

Progestin-only pills prevent ovulation in about half the cycles, therefore, they are not as reliable as combined pills. Also progestin-only pills cause a thickening of the mucus between uterus and vagina and it prevents sperm from reaching the egg.

Advantages of progestin-only pills

Firstly, progestin-only pills are better and safer for those women, who are over 35 years old, also for breast-feeding women, because these birth control pills don not change milk production. Additionally, progestin-only pills are the perfect choice for smokers, also for women who have a high blood pressure or are overweight. Moreover, mini-pill can be an ideal choice for women, who suffer from migraine, diabetes, thromboembolism, cardiovascular disease, sickle cell disease.

Disadvantages of progestin-only pills

One of the most common side effects is irregular menses, especially more frequent bleeding between periods for several months. Of course, it may be inconvenient, but it does not have any influence on woman health. However, if bleeding is heavy, it is recommended to consult your doctor.

Another common side effect is a weight gain. Many women, who use mini-pills, feel hungry more often and eat more; of course, it may results in a weight gain. But woman will come back to normal when they stop using this birth control method.

Progestin-only pills will protect from pregnancy only after one month of using. It means, that for the first month women have to use an additional method of birth control (for ex., condoms) along with the progestin-only pills. In addition, if woman forgets to take a pill for even one day, she has to use a second birth control method until the next period, because it is forbidden to take two pills the next day.

Cautions

A woman should not use progestin-only birth control pills if she:

• Know or suspect pregnancy;
• Know or suspect breast cancer;
• Has undiagnosed abnormal genital bleeding, which could indicate a reproductive tract cancer.

Let’s face it – menstrual periods and especially a week before it comes (PMS ) aren’t the time we are waiting for. Except for the fact of proving that you are not pregnant. But in other ways bleeding once a month and what usually happens – on your life’s special occasions might become a burden. Nowadays there is the way to make your menstrual period appear once in every season that is to say four times a year. Applauds for that belongs to the birth control pill named Seasonale.

Seasonal birth control pill

Seasonal birth control pill is a combined pill of estrogen and progestin preventing you from getting pregnant. The main difference is that instead of taking active pills 21 day plus 7 days for the placebo pills you do take Seasonal without any free interval for 84 days and then a week of “inactive” pills. In this way your uterine line is prevented from getting thick enough to produce a full menstrual cycle . You should know that you may get a breakthrough bleeding or start spotting because of low dose (30 mg) of the hormone estrogen. This is natural and will fade in time.

The risks of using Seasonal are mostly the same as any other regular oral pills. That is to say the pills increase the risk for blood clots, stroke or heart attack. More over if you smoke the risks are even higher. So if you are a smoke and especially older than 35 then Seasonal is not recommended for your birth protection.

If you missed the pill

The main concerns regarding Seasonal is its effectiveness and the way for woman to know if she is pregnant when her periods are not monthly. Well the effectiveness if used correctly is 99%. So you need to be aware of the fact to take a pill everyday. If you still miss a pill you make the chances of getting pregnant higher. In this case you need to drink the missed pill immediately and take another pill as usual. If you do miss two pills take two pills the day you remember and also two pills the next day then continue one pill a day till you finish a pack. On the seven days period when you are consuming a non active pills it would be better if you used an additional way of birth protection. The same is if you miss three or more pills. In this case just behave normally – forget the unused pills as they will not be consumed and take one pill a day.

Seasonal birth control pill, weight and periods

Lot’s of women also want to know if the contraceptive can change their weight. The recent scientific research shows that there is no link between a contraceptive and getting weight. So it is hard to say. As every woman is different there is a possibility that some body will react and you will start to gain weight. But mostly gaining weight depends on your eating habits and physical activity.

Speaking about the four periods you will experience good news is that they are suppose to be lighter and in the same length as using any other oral pills. Of course Seasonal birth control pill doesn’t protect from any sexually transmitted disease .

So Seasonal birth control pill is an effective and you must admit an attractive way not only prevent from getting pregnant but also for suppressing your menstrual cycle . If you are interested in trying Seasonal of course it is better first of all to consult with your doctor, let him know any issues you will have during the consumption of the birth control . In this way it will be easier for the doctor to decide if you are a candidate.

Diane 35 birth control pills had been advertised almost everywhere: on TV or radio, on the buses or student campuses. It is thought to be a birth control pill but as a matter of fact it is not. Diane 35 has received a lot comments on causing blood clots. Is it safe to use it? Here are some opinions of the experts.

Diane 35

Diane 35 was approved in Canada in 1998 and it has never been approved in the USA. It was approved in Europe, Asia and also Latin America for the purposes of birth control and acne treatment. The first warning sign was the case in Germany when a woman using Diane 35 for 14 years died because of liver cancer. Following this event it was firstly restricted in Germany and in the rest of the Europe.

There is an opinion that Diane 35 is not a contraceptive. However it has both: estrogens and progestin and can protect you from getting pregnant. It should be prescribed for the treatment of acne problems or the reduction of facial or body hair. Diane 35 is also used by women with androgen-dependent diseases and for the treatment of polycystic ovary syndrome. The recommended duration of a treatment is around several months in order to achieve the wanted results.

Later concerns of the Diane 35 were focused not on the liver toxicity or the potential cancer risks but on its ability to cause blood clots which can appear in the legs and even travel to the lung what is dangerous. Under several studies Diane 35 birth control pill can be considered as a bit riskier than other birth control pills . Doctors in Canada for example can not advertise it as a contraceptive as it is not approved for this use.

As an example it could be of a woman from Ontario who appears to have blood clot in the brain. She was taking Diane 35 for four years. Her heamatologist agreed that a birth control pill was likely to cause her a blood clot. Many contraceptive pills carries the risk of causing blood clots however at the time woman was taking pills there were sent advisories to the patients and doctors with a risk of Diane 35 comparing to other birth control pills. That was the reminder the Diane 35 was never approved for birth control.

There is an opinion of gynaecologist that Diane 35 is safe to use as in the 50 countries in the world it is prescribed for a birth control . Some physicians think that if it is used correctly it is as safe as any other oral contraceptive. Also Berlex (a drug company) says that recent studies show that there is no increased risk of clotting.

The records of Health Canada records are not attractive. It seems that Diane 35 contributed to the 35 blood clots and 5 deaths of Canadian women. The comparison was done to another contraceptive known as Alesse. Despite there are more prescriptions of it the numbers of blood clots are lesser (7 to 1).

Such are the controversial opinions regarding Diane 35. As to everything you decide to take please be aware of their risks and always consult to a specialist before making the decision your own.

The most popular contraception is oral contraceptive pills. Nowadays these pills are called the ‘combined’ pills, because it contains two hormones: estrogen and progesterone that prevent a woman’s body from producing an egg each month. Without this egg, a woman can’t get pregnant.

Before taking the pill, it is recommended to consult with a doctor if woman:

• smokes (smoking and taking the pill increases the risk of heart disease and stroke);
• have high blood pressure or diabetes.

Although some women experience symptoms (for ex. irregular bleeding, weight gain, headaches, nausea, skin problems, mood swings) these symptoms often improve after two or three months. Changing the pills usually solves the problem (doctor’s consultation is necessary)

The use of contraceptive pills

The birth control pill must be taken regularly to be effective. One pill for each day when they are finished, the break should be done for seven days then start a new pack. During this break, women bleed just like a normal period.

What to do if woman forgot to take the pill?

If woman forgot to take the pill in 12 hours she should do it immediately and take the next one at the usual time (even if this means taking two pills in one day), but must use plus one more contraception (for ex. regular condoms , a diaphragm or any other guard) for the next seven days. There are two types of pack – 21 day pack (21 pills) and 28 days pack (28 pills). If woman uses 21 day pack and if she forgets to take a pill when there are less than seven pills left, then when she finishes the pack, she should start a fresh one without taking a break. If she uses a 28 day pack and if there is less than seven, she should start a fresh pack as soon as old one are finished, it means she should move straight on to a new pack.

Advantages and disadvantages of contraceptive pills

Advantages:

• By using birth control pills women can prevent pregnancy;
• During sexual intercourse there is no need to worry about impregnation, woman can relax that amplifies the pleasure;
• Woman can stop using pills whenever she wants (for ex. she wants to get pregnant);
• Pills do not harm to prolificacy;
• They fit to every woman, does not matter woman started a baby before or not;
• Pills help to regulate the menses;
• Medical research has showed that women who use contraceptive pills more rarely get ovarian cancer, womb or pelvis inflammation.

Disadvantages:

• It is very important to use pills every day approximately at the same time, often women forget to do this;
• Contraceptive pills do not fit for women who suckle a baby; it damages quality and quantity of milk;
• Pills do not protect against sexually transmitted infections, including AIDS.

Common side effects are:

nausea, headache, weight gain.
Eventually these effects disappear.