Almost every woman has felt the need to use contraceptives at least once in her life. And during such a period, many questions arise, namely, which contraceptives to choose, how to take them, whether there are side effects, and much more. Let's look at all the features of birth control and figure out which pills are best to take at a certain age.
Types of birth control pills
Currently, the pharmaceutical market offers a huge variety of birth control pills, which have different principles of action and composition.
Combination drugs (COCs)
– their efficiency reaches 100%. These tablets contain the hormone progesterone and estrogen. Such drugs can be single-phase, biphasic or triphasic, depending on the dosage of hormones.
COCs are not suitable for all women, so it is very important to select them together with your doctor. COCs have a number of contraindications and in some cases can cause side effects.
The mechanism of action of such tablets is to suppress ovarian function and prevent the onset of ovulation. In addition, COCs prevent sperm from reaching the egg by thickening the mucus in the cervix. If the sperm does break through to the egg, then attachment to the uterine wall does not occur. Also, the effect of COCs stops the production of the hormones FSH and LH in the pituitary gland;
Mini-pills (progestin)
– their effectiveness is about 95%. Such drugs are the safest; they contain minimal doses of a synthetic analogue of the hormone progesterone (progestin).
Mini-pills are used in cases where COCs are contraindicated for a woman. Despite the milder effect on the body, the effectiveness of such drugs is lower.
The mini-pill has a thickening effect on the mucus in the cervix, which prevents sperm from reaching the egg. In addition, the lining of the uterus also thickens, which prevents the egg from attaching to the wall of the uterus if fertilization does occur. Due to the effects of the mini-pill, peristalsis of the fallopian tubes slows down, which has a detrimental effect on the fertilized egg.
Why use contraceptives after 40 years of age?
The content of the article
Although women over 40 are less likely to become pregnant, this does not mean that women should not take control of their fertility during this period. You should remember about contraception, because pregnancy at this age, especially the first, is associated with significant risks.
Although late motherhood is becoming increasingly popular, nature cannot be fooled. Over the years, the risk of miscarriage and premature birth increases, as does the likelihood of genetic defects in children. The defects are mainly the result of chromosomal aberrations. The most common case of the disease is trisomy 21 pairs of chromosomes, which in 90% of cases causes the development of Down syndrome.
A woman who has consciously decided not to have late motherhood and is sexually active should use contraception after 40 years of age. How long? Until her fertile period stops, which, unfortunately, is not always easy to check, so constant cooperation with a gynecologist is necessary.
Selection rules
Experts categorically do not recommend that women choose birth control pills on their own. Incorrectly selected pills can not only lead to unwanted pregnancy, but also cause serious health problems. When selecting oral contraceptives, the doctor must take into account the following factors:
- General medical history of the patient;
- Number of births, abortions and miscarriages;
- Test results (blood, urine and gynecological smears);
- Ultrasound results;
- Life conditions;
- The nature and regularity of the menstrual cycle;
- Assessment of hormonal levels.
Obtaining all this data is possible only by visiting doctors. Before choosing birth control pills, a woman needs to consult a gynecologist or endocrinologist, and sometimes a mammologist.
How to take birth control
The nature and rules for taking COCs are specified in the instructions for the drug. This information can also be obtained from your doctor.
As a rule, the package includes a blister of 21 tablets, but there are exceptions. Taking the drug should begin at the start of menstruation and continue daily until the tablets run out. Afterwards, it is important to take a break for 7 days and resume taking it again.
If a dose is missed for some reason, you should immediately take the pill.
For more reliable protection against pregnancy, you need to use condoms.
Features of taking birth control pills
Birth control pills should be taken from the first day of your period. If your menstrual cycle is irregular, you can start taking pills from the first day of your cycle, before eliminating the possibility of pregnancy.
After giving birth, you can start taking oral contraceptives within three weeks. If a woman is breastfeeding, she is prescribed more gentle medications that are approved for breastfeeding.
After an abortion (medical or any other), it is recommended to start taking pills immediately on the day of the abortion procedure.
Depending on the number of tablets in the package, they are taken in different ways:
- 21 days of admission with a 7-day break. As a rule, during the break, a woman begins to menstruate. On the eighth day, regardless of whether the menstrual flow has ended or not, you must start a new pack of tablets;
- If the pack contains 28 tablets, then there are no breaks in taking the drug. When the first package is finished, you need to start a new one the next day.
Birth control pills are taken once a day, one at a time, at approximately the same time. If a woman misses a pill, she should take it as soon as possible, even if it is time to take a new pill.
In such cases, it is recommended to take additional measures to protect against unwanted pregnancy, because The effectiveness of the drug may decrease due to missing a pill.
Groups of contraceptives for women
The pharmacological market currently offers a wide range of drugs to prevent pregnancy. All of them are divided into the following groups:
- Combined oral contraceptives are based on hormones similar to the action of estrogens, these are progestogen and ethinyl estradiol. There are two-, three- and monophasic drugs.
- Mini-drink. Contains exclusively progestogen. The principle of action is a local effect on the peripheral zones of the reproductive organs. As a result of taking such drugs, there is a change in the biochemical and morphological parameters of the endometrium, so the development of the fertilized egg does not occur. In most women, the ovulation process is suppressed. Effective representatives: Microlut, Laktinet, Exluton, Charozetta.
COCs are divided into 3 groups based on the active substance content in the tablets:
- Monophasic - contain a low level of hormones. Therefore, they are recommended for use by young girls who have not given birth before. And for people who are encountering contraceptives for the first time, such medications will be the most suitable.
- Biphasic - prescribed to young and middle-aged women, especially relevant in the postpartum period. These pills should be taken by those who experience discharge while taking microdosed contraceptives. These drugs have an antiandrogenic effect, therefore they have a positive effect on the skin and prevent unwanted hair growth. These include: Regulon, Marvelon, Siluet.
- Triphasic - characterized by a high content of female hormones. They are prescribed for some gynecological diseases and to restore hormonal levels. Representatives: Trikvilar, Ovidon, Trizeston.
How to determine if the pills are working
If a woman takes birth control pills regularly and has no side effects and her menstrual cycle starts on time, there is nothing to worry about.
The main sign of the action of birth control pills will be the absence of ovulation. Many women can feel the onset of ovulation or determine it by measuring their basal temperature. If there are no signs of ovulation and the basal temperature does not increase, then the pills are working.
If you have doubtful symptoms, in order to be sure of the effect of oral contraceptives, you should visit a gynecologist, who, during the examination and ultrasound procedure, will be able to see signs of the effects of the drugs. You should also consult a gynecologist if side effects or individual intolerance to the components of the drug occur.
Side effects
Taking medications to prevent pregnancy may cause the following side effects:
- Headache, dizziness.
- Weight gain.
- Cessation of menstruation.
- Swelling of the limbs.
- Breast pain.
- Flatulence.
- Disorders of the skin.
- Nausea.
- Decreased appetite.
- Profuse bleeding.
- Pressure changes.
- Disturbance of consciousness.
- Allergic reactions.
- Heavy breathing.
If such symptoms occur, the use of tablets should be stopped.
What to do if the pills don't work
In rare cases, pregnancy may occur while taking birth control pills. Most often this occurs due to irregular use of contraceptives or a decrease in their effectiveness under the influence of various factors.
If you suspect pregnancy, you should immediately consult a gynecologist to confirm the presence of pregnancy. If a woman decides to terminate an unplanned pregnancy, she must act quickly to obtain a medical abortion.
This method is considered the safest for a woman’s health. However, medical abortion can only be performed until the 6th week of pregnancy, so it is important not to delay your visit to the doctor.
How to choose oral contraceptives?
The use of birth control pills can have many nuances, and above we have listed only a few of them. Before prescribing a particular drug, a woman’s medical history is collected (survey) and a possible susceptibility to diseases at risk is determined. Contraindications must also be taken into account.
Among the general criteria, doctors may look for the following signs:
- whether there is excessive hair growth on the body;
- whether there are signs of androgen excess;
- what condition is the skin in?
- what is the condition of the mammary glands;
- Are there any diseases of the pelvic organs?
Oral contraceptives contain varying dosages of hormones. Therefore, the most important criterion when choosing a drug will be the tendency of the woman herself to predominate in estrogens or androgens.
Is it possible to continue a pregnancy that occurs while taking birth control pills?
If a woman suspects that she is pregnant and wants to continue the pregnancy, she should immediately stop taking birth control pills and consult a doctor. Medical practice shows that taking oral contraceptives at the beginning of pregnancy does not in any way affect the development of the embryo. A woman has every chance to give birth to a healthy child.
However, if a woman does not suspect pregnancy for a long time and continues to take pills, this can negatively affect the development of the fetus. Therefore, it is necessary to closely monitor symptoms indicating pregnancy and, most importantly, follow the rules for taking oral contraceptives.
Contraindications for contraception
Contraindications to the use of any group of contraceptives are:
- Breastfeeding.
- Diseases of the cardiovascular system.
- Pregnancy.
- Kidney diseases.
- Oncological processes in the body.
- Overweight.
- Severe form of hypertension.
- Liver pathologies.
- Diabetes mellitus.
- Preparation for surgery.
- Uterine bleeding of unknown origin.
conclusions
Many women are afraid to take birth control pills because of existing myths about their negative impact on appearance and health. However, all negative manifestations arise only when the drugs are selected incorrectly. Selecting oral contraceptives together with your doctor will avoid side effects and make taking pills simple and safe.
MAKE AN APPOINTMENT
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Abortion and contraception clinic in St. Petersburg - department of the medical gynecological association "Diana"
Make an appointment, tests or ultrasound via the contact form or by calling +8 (812) 62-962-77. We work seven days a week from 09:00 to 21:00.
We are located in the Krasnogvardeisky district, next to the Novocherkasskaya, Ploshchad Alexander Nevsky and Ladozhskaya metro stations.
The cost of a medical abortion in our clinic is 3,300 rubles. The price includes all pills, an examination by a gynecologist and an ultrasound to determine the timing of pregnancy.
Introducing: hormonal contraceptives
What are the requirements for contraceptive pills for women? The main goal is direct prescription and minimizing the risk of pregnancy, up to 99%. Naturally, the drug must be safe for the entire female body, including the reproductive system. Availability is also an important factor. Most modern hormonal drugs fulfill similar requirements.
In Europe, about half of all women of reproductive age use hormonal contraception. In Russia, the figures are much lower and amount to 10-15% of women, in large cities about 35%2.
However, cases of pregnancy while taking contraceptive pills do occur. The main reasons are associated with improper use of drugs or neglect of instructions for use:
- missed doses or expired medication;
- combination with medications that reduce the contraceptive effect;
- inability to absorb the drug, for example, in case of poisoning and vomiting;
- irrational choice of oral contraceptives (contraceptive pills may have different schemes and methods of action).
If an unwanted pregnancy occurs, then taking oral contraceptives (OCs) should be stopped. Not all, but some drugs can have a negative effect on the fetus from the first days of life.
Contraception after 40 - what to choose?
There are many methods to prevent pregnancy in mature women. The best contraception after 40 years should be chosen after consulting a gynecologist, who will check whether the woman suffers from chronic diseases that are contraindications, for example, for hormonal contraception.
The doctor will also take into account the patient's lifestyle and previous experience using contraceptives. After all, contraception after 40 should not only be effective, but also safe.
Women of this age can use all over-the-counter contraceptives, such as spermicides or barrier contraceptives (condoms, caps, etc.). However, one should remember that these measures are less effective than methods based on the action of synthetic hormones.
The IUD is the most commonly chosen type of contraception by older women and can be used until about age 55. Modern IUDs contain copper, silver or progesterone.
Navy
However, contraception for a 40-year-old woman can be based on other hormonal drugs contained in:
- tablets,
- patches,
- vaginal rings,
- injections (applies to 50 years),
- subcutaneous implants (applies to 55 years),
- the so-called “morning after” pill, that is, emergency contraception (this is not a permanent form of contraception, since the pills can disrupt the endocrine system, so a woman should not take more than one such pill in one cycle).
Which non-hormonal drugs are best to choose?
New generation drugs with contraceptive effects have fewer adverse reactions. They are well tolerated and can be used regularly. Doctors recommend choosing contraceptives based on your health status and age. For young women who do not have a permanent partner, contraceptive suppositories and non-hormonal spermicide-based pills can be recommended. They will protect against pregnancy and possible infection.
Women who have a regular partner and have regular sex are less likely to need protection from infection. Therefore, they can use microdosing medications. But they should be stopped for those over 35 years of age, as well as for smokers, due to the risk of vascular complications.
Postcoital medications are emergency contraceptive methods. Non-hormonal drugs can disrupt the mechanisms of conception; they are used in high doses in the 1st trimester for artificial miscarriage. But mefipristone cannot be used every month. This can lead to hormonal imbalance.
Advantages and disadvantages of non-hormonal contraceptives
Non-hormonal methods of contraception have many advantages:
- can be used in nursing women;
- some of them do not penetrate the blood and act only locally;
- not contraindicated for young nulliparous girls;
- have few adverse reactions;
- do not require prior consultation with a doctor;
- used regardless of the day of the cycle.
Methods of contraception without hormones have a number of disadvantages:
- contraindicated for women with severe liver and kidney disorders;
- do not always give 100% results;
- may cause allergic reactions;
- some of them may not be regular forms of contraception.
After using some contraceptives, irregularities in the menstrual cycle may occur. Therefore, the lack of influence on hormonal levels is relative.
