Comparing the Different Types of Birth Control Pills

Birth control pills can provide women with a range of benefits beyond preventing pregnancy. Many medications can help users enjoy better skin, reduce their risk of gynecological cancers, and experience more comfortable menstrual cycles. When used in combination with condoms, birth control pills can offer women safe, healthy, and comfortable sexual lives. Knowing the differences between birth control pills can help women select the type that is right for their individual preferences and needs.

Continuous-Cycle Pills

Women who find their menstrual cycles to be uncomfortable or inconvenient might want to look into getting continuous-cycle pills. This type of birth control prohibits tissue buildup in the uterus, which it would normally shed each month. With continuous-cycle pills, women can avoid unintended pregnancies and unwanted periods.

Combination Pills

Many women opt for combination pills, which are named for their hormone content. Progestin and estrogen are two hormones that play a pivotal role in reproductive health and pregnancy. Combination birth control pills introduce both hormones into the body, which together prevent ovulation. If a woman does not ovulate, she cannot become pregnant. Combination pills come in a variety of formulations. Some pills adjust the dosage of progestin and estrogen each week of a given month, while others provide a static stream of these hormones on a daily basis.

Progestin-Only Pills

Because combination pills come with a slight increased risk for blood clots, some women might prefer progestin-only pills. As with any other type of birth control pill, women who choose to take progestin-only pills must strictly adhere to the prescription recommendations. This means taking one pill each day at the same hour so that the body will not mistakenly ovulate and create the opportunity for conception. Women who wish to breastfeed their children might also consider progestin-only pills as an added form of birth control.

Are you considering your birth control pill options? Washington Surgi-Clinic provides birth control services, including patches, injections, and birth control pills. If you live in the Maryland, Virginia, or Washington, D.C. area, call us today at (202) 659-9403.