More than four decades ago, the “Pill” had changed the way a woman's body functions. Also known as oral contraceptives, birth control pills contain a combination of estrogen and progesterone hormones that prevent ovulation or the release of an egg during the monthly cycle. By suppressing ovulation, a woman cannot get pregnant because there is no egg to be fertilized.
During that time, many women were concerned about the possible risks of suppressing their monthly periods. However, monthly bleeding no longer has to be a regular discomfort for a woman, at least, according to some medical experts.
The traditional Pill is taken daily at about the same time for 21 days, and is discontinued for 7 days to allow the monthly period to occur. Some pills come in a pack of 28 where after taking it for 21 days, a non-hormonal pill, also known as placebo pill, is taken for 7 days to give way for the monthly period. However, once you miss a dose, there is already a high risk of getting pregnant. That is why most women prefer the 28-pack to keep them in the habit of taking the birth control pills daily.
The side effects that some women have while on the Pill include:
· Irregular menstrual bleeding
· Nausea, weight gain, headaches, dizziness, and breast tenderness
· Mood changes
· Blood clots (rare in women under 35 who do not smoke)
Today, advances in medical science have produced a new wave of birth control pills that could put a stop to a woman's monthly bleeding for 365 days.
“There's no risk to suppressing the monthly period. If a woman is having bad menstrual cycles, there's no reason why she needs to have a period,” said Dr. Patti J. Ross, a professor of obstetrics, gynecology, and reproductive sciences at The University of Texas Medical School at Houston.
It all started with the introduction of a continuous birth control pill offering women 4 monthly periods in a year. It was followed by a batch of improved pills such as the lighter-period pills, the no-PMS (premenstrual syndrome) pills, the no-acne pills, and the no-period pills.
All these pills are variations of the traditional birth control pills, which is a combination of mini-doses of estrogen and progestin. “They all contain 25 to 50 micrograms of estrogen. And anything less than 50 micrograms of estrogen is considered a low-dose pill,” explained Dr. Christopher Estes, assistant professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the University of Miami School of Medicine. He also added that there are no high-dose pills on the market anymore.
Advantages of this new generation pills are:
l There are fewer “non-active” pills, the ones that trigger a period.
l The hormone formulations are slightly different, creating lighter periods when you do have one.
l A new form of progestin used in some pills help reduce severe mood and physical symptoms that some women get before their monthly periods. The experience of these symptoms is called Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder or PMDD. This form of progestin may also help treat acne.
While standard birth control pills had to be taken at the same time every day to avoid the risk of ovulating, this new batch of pills provide a few hours of “grace period.” Forgetting a dose in the morning is no more a risk if you take the pill during lunch time. Much like the standard birth control pills, a woman becomes fertile again within one to two months of discontinuing the dose. However, just like other pills, it takes time before one can get pregnant again.
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