What are the different types of contraceptive pills?
There are different types: combined
estrogen and progestin contraceptive pills. Combined pills are available
in standard and low dose forms. For example, lo-feminal, combination
-3. progestin – only pills (minipills POPs). Examples are exluton,
microlut, ovrette; and emergency contraceptive pills having postinor as
an example.
If a woman is not satisfied with the birth control pills she is taking, can she change immediately?
Yes, she can change immediately to any method she desires and which is good for her.
How long can she be on birth control pills?
The woman can be on birth control pills for as long as she desires to prevent pregnancy.
Does the woman need to use other forms of contraception with oral contraceptives?
This is a good question. A pill as a
contraceptive is very effective. You do not need another contraception
while using pills. However, pills can only prevent pregnancy. They do
not protect against sexually transmitted
infections. If at risk of
infections please you should use barrier methods such as condoms in
addition.
Is it necessary that a woman takes a break from pills?
No. She must continue to use it until
she wants to get pregnant or switch to another method. Taking a break
while using pills will lead to contraceptive failure and unwanted
pregnancy.
Can a woman have trouble getting pregnant after using the pills?
No. Fertility returns within a month of stopping the pills.
Do birth control pills cause any defects in pregnancy afterwards?
No. They do not.
What is your view on the claims that birth control pills cause cancer?
The birth control pills in low doses
neither cause cancer nor increase the risk. Oral contraceptive pills
offer some protection against cancers of the womb, ovary and benign
breast disease.
If a woman forgets to take her pills and engages in sex, can she get pregnant?
She will get pregnant. If the client
forgets to take a pill or pills we normally assess as shown below: If
you missed only one (white) hormonal pill, take the missed pill at once.
Take the next pill at the regular time. This may mean taking two pills
on the same day or even two at the same time. Take the rest of the pills
as usual, one each day.
If you missed two or more (white)
hormonal pills in any of the seven days, it is important for seven days
to use condoms, spermicide or avoid sex. Take a (white) hormonal pill at
once. Count how many (white) hormonal pills are left in the packet: if
seven or more (white) hormonal pills are left, take all the rest of the
pills each day. If fewer than seven (white) hormonal pills are left,
take the rest of the (white) hormonal as usual. Do not take any brown
pill. Throw them away. Start a new pack.
Where is the best place to get birth control pills?
The best place to get birth control
pills is the family planning clinic. This is because a new user needs to
be assessed for eligibility to use the pills. Though the pill is a good
birth control method, it is not all women that will tolerate it. It may
not be suitable for some women. Therefore, it is better to seek the
counsel of a family planning provider before choosing pills or any other
method. Informed consent is the goal for all birth control methods.
Though pills can be bought from any chemist or pharmacy shop, it is
better to patronise the family planning provider for reasons stated
above. Getting pills from a family planning provider ensures that if
some concerns occur while using the pills, the client can visit her
provider who knows her history for wise counsel.
Some women complain of vomiting after taking the pills, what is the cause of this?
It is not everybody who takes the pills
that vomits. Some people vomit any tablet they take. It is usually a
reflex for those who vomit it and this stops in subsequent doses.
Can a woman use oral contraceptives to change the date of her menstrual flow?
Usually oral contraceptives are used for
contraception. However, there are other non – contraceptive benefits of
combined oral contraceptives. One of them is to regularise menstrual
cycles in women with irregular cycles or those with oligomenorrhea. In
that sense, it can be used to manipulate timing and frequency of menses.
Why do some women have irregular bleeding while on the pills?
It is not all who use pills that have
irregular bleeding. Those who often experience irregular bleeding after
taking the pills may be due to several reasons which include infections,
pregnancy, miscarriage, fibroids, genital pathology, and improper use
of pills among others. It is important for pill users to consult their
service provider to assess the situation and identify the cause and give
appropriate remedy. This is why it is important that those who want to
use pills should visit family planning providers instead of just buying
it over the counter.
If a woman takes her pills every day can she still get pregnant?
It is still possible but it is not
common. It is advised that pills are used about the same time every day
continuously. Failure to abide by the instructions on how to the pills
is often the cause of unwanted pregnancy.
Does taking the contraceptive pills during pregnancy hurt an unborn baby?
Usually, the hormones do not hurt the
baby if a woman continues to take few doses not knowing that she is
pregnant. It is usually in low doses and that is not sufficient reasons
to abort the pregnancy. I advise that they should consult a
gynaecologist if in doubt.
Who should not use hormonal methods of birth control?
Not everybody can use pills. This is the
same with all drugs. Some people for instance react to fansidar while
others do not. It is the same with hormonal methods of birth control.
There is what we call eligibility criteria for use of hormonal methods
of birth control. They include women who are pregnant; have history of
raised blood pressure (systolic above 140 mmHg and diastolic above
90mmHg); have cerebro-vascular disease (stroke); have coronary artery
disease (heart attack); have pre-existing tumors of the breast or
genital organs and have thrombophlebitis (constant and severe pains at
the back of the legs). Others are women who are above 35 years and smoke
heavily; are breast feeding (less than six weeks post-partum); have
liver disease (jaundice or yellow eyes); have migraines with focal
neurologic symptoms; and suffering from undiagnosed abnormal uterine
bleeding.
For those who are mentioned above and
those unqualified to use hormonal methods of birth control, it has side
effects. But for those who are qualified, it is safe for them.
How much weight can a woman gain using the pills?
There is no prescribed amount of weight
gain to expect while on contraceptive pills. The principle is to avoid
excessive weight gain. While some people lose weight when using
contraceptive pills others gain weight while some do not notice weight
gain.
Credit:Punchng
Credit:Punchng
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