Birth Control Pills 101: Which One is Right for You?

Ever since the FDA approved the birth control pills in 1960, millions of women around the world have been using it for a variety of reasons. However, with the development of many types of birth control pills throughout the recent years, it can get confusing to know which one would be right for you. So if you’re one of those people who are looking for a way to figure out which one will suit your needs, look no further. This guide will explain the different types of pills and when they are used to make sure that you have what you need.

Hormones and Their Role in the Body

Before we dive into what types of birth control pills there are, it’s important to know how our body regulates its hormones. Two examples of these hormones are estrogen and progesterone (which are the ones that we are going to be talking about throughout this article!).

Estrogen, a primary hormone in the female reproductive system, has an important role when it comes to sexual development, especially during puberty. This helps with ovulation (when the ovaries release an egg) and pregnancy.

Progesterone, another hormone in the female reproductive system, is used to stabilize menstrual cycles and helps with preparing the body for pregnancy through ovulation. One important role of progesterone is that it helps with thickening the uterine lining to make sure the egg will be able to implant itself into the uterine wall once it’s fertilized. 

Both progesterone and estrogen help regulate the menstrual cycle along with maintaining pregnancy, where they work together to make sure future complications won’t occur.

Types of Birth Control Pills

Birth control pills are typically separated into two different types, which are combination birth control pills and progestin-only pills. 

Combination birth control pills contain both estrogen and progestin (a synthetic version of the hormone progesterone), and these are used to prevent ovulation. Other functions include changing the mucus and uterine lining to prevent sperm cells from fusing with the egg.

Combination birth control pills are often used to prevent pregnancies, but they can also help lower the risk of certain cancers (ovarian, endometrial) and diseases, reduce symptoms of PCOS (acne, excess hair growth, excess androgen production), and help manage menstrual cramps and flow. 

There are many options to choose between for combination birth control pills, where you’ll have a mixture of active (pills that contain the hormones progestin and estrogen) and inactive pills (placebo pills; they do not contain the actual hormones).  You can also customize as to how often you want to take the inactive/active pills and how long you want to take them for.

However, these are not recommended for people who:

• Are in the first month of breastfeeding or during first few weeks after giving birth

• Are older than 35

• Have high blood pressure 

• Have history of blood clots, stroke, heart disease, or breast cancer 

• Have migraine with aura 

• Have diabetes-related complications

• Have gallbladder disease or liver disease 

• Have unexplainable uterine bleeding 

• Will be going into surgery/have an injury that requires being in bed for an extended period of time

Progestin-only birth control pills, also known as the mini pill, only contain progestin (as said in the name) and are mainly used to slow the progress of an egg through the fallopian tubes and to change the mucus lining so that the sperm can’t reach the egg. Some types may also prevent ovulation completely, similar to the combination pill.

Unlike the combination pill though, progestin-only pills have fewer options available, where all of the pills provided would have the same amount of progestin and are active. The time frame for these pills are fixed as well, where you have to take the pills at the same times every day.

The mini-pill isn’t recommended for those who: 

• Have/used to have breast cancer 

• Have certain liver diseases

• Have unexplained uterine bleeding 

• Take medications for HIV/AIDS or to control seizures 

Pros/Cons of Each Type of Pill

Although both the combination pills and progestin-only pills have many benefits, they also have some drawbacks. Below are some examples of the following.

Pros for Combination Pills 

• Can provide relief from premenstrual syndrome (PMS)

• Can help manage menstrual cramps and allow for shorter, lighter periods 

• Can decrease the risk of ovarian, endometrial, and colorectal cancers 

• Can help manage PCOS symptoms, such as hirsutism (excess hair growth) and acne 

Cons for Combination Pills

• Can cause blood clots in the legs (deep vein thrombosis) because of the estrogen in the pills

• Increases the risk of heart attacks and strokes along with liver disorders  

• Increases blood pressure 

• Can increase the risk of cervical and breast cancers

Pros for Progestin-only Pills

• Can be used right after given birth/having a miscarriage or abortion 

• Can be used by those with history of blood clots, migraines, high blood pressure, and heart disease

• Less likely to affect breast feeding 

• Smaller risk of getting endometrial cancer 

Cons for Progestin-only Pills

• Must be taken at the same exact time every day; consistency is key 

• Can cause irregular menstrual bleeding, acne, ovarian cysts, depression, nausea, and decreased sex drive 

• Can cause an ectopic pregnancy if pregnancy happens; this means that the egg will implant outside of the uterus, which can be dangerous for both the mother and the fetus

Takeaway

The type of pill that you choose ultimately depends on your own preferences, whether you have certain health complications or if you want to take the birth control pills during certain times of the day. With these pills, you can prevent pregnancies, regulate menstruation, decrease the risk of certain cancers, and improve symptoms of some diseases, such as PCOS and PMS. 

Keep in mind though, neither of these birth-control pills will help protect you from sexually-transmitted diseases, so it’s important to have precautions when planning on being sexually active. 

If you have any other questions/concerns about birth control pills or any other method of contraception, make sure to talk to your doctor as soon as possible to make the best decision for yourself. Other than that, we’ll see you in the next blog!