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.
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.
The effect of weight loss from contraceptives
Birth control pills help eliminate excess weight thanks to the hormonal components they contain - progestin and estradiol. These ingredients eliminate hormonal imbalances.
There are 2 types of oral contraceptives:
- Monophasic. Saturation of the body with necessary hormones occurs evenly throughout the entire period of use. For weight loss, it is better to take this type of pill because it does not lead to a sudden hormonal surge.
- Three-phase. During the menstrual cycle, the combination of hormones changes 3 times.
Weight normalization is possible with the correct choice of drug, strict adherence to the dosage regimen and doses agreed with the doctor.
Microdosed monophasic combined oral contraceptives
How to choose the right birth control pills
In no case is it recommended to choose and start a course of taking contraceptives on your own. This should only be done by a doctor.
Before prescribing a contraceptive method, the specialist collects the patient’s medical history, takes into account the presence of any diseases in the present or future and pays attention to the individual characteristics of the body.
The next stage is a complete examination of the woman, the doctor evaluates the constitution, body weight, skin condition and blood pressure level. Additionally, he prescribes instrumental and laboratory tests, it is especially important to conduct ultrasound and mammography.
Also, when choosing contraceptives, be sure to take into account:
- Breasts, their shape and structure.
- Type of hair growth on the genitals.
- Growth.
- Health status of skin and hair.
- Peculiarities of the flow of menstruation.
- Presence of chronic diseases.
Is it possible to lose weight on birth control pills?
The use of a properly selected contraceptive helps eliminate swelling and improve the body's performance. This leads to effective burning of excess fat and, as a result, promotes weight loss. In turn, taking the wrong medication and having thyroid diseases significantly increase the risk of gaining weight.
Contraceptive drugs will help you lose weight if the reason for weight gain lies in metabolic disorders or the presence of excess male hormones in the blood.
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.
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.
Postpartum contraception
make a choice
Let's start with the fact that for the first four to six weeks after childbirth, obstetricians and gynecologists advise abstaining from sexual relations. At this time, the uterus has not yet completely contracted, the wound surface in it has not completely healed, there is constant bleeding, which means there is a risk of introducing some kind of infection into the uterus. Therefore, you should wait until the woman’s health returns to normal and only then return to sex.
Well, which contraceptive to choose will depend primarily on whether the mother is breastfeeding. If the baby is bottle-fed, the woman can use any of the contraceptives that suit her. If a mother is breastfeeding, then she should choose only those contraceptives that do not pass into breast milk and, therefore, do not affect the baby’s health.
natural contraception
The simplest method of contraception is provided by nature itself. As it turned out, a woman, as a rule, does not become pregnant while breastfeeding. The fact is that after childbirth, the female body produces the hormone prolactin. This hormone stimulates milk production and simultaneously suppresses ovulation. However, all those who intend to use this method must take into account several important points. Firstly, the effectiveness of this method is maximum when feeding on demand with breaks of no more than 4 hours during the day and 6 hours at night. That is, you need to feed at least 7–8 times a day. Secondly, you can use this method of contraception only before the onset of menstruation. Thirdly, when lactation crises occur, additional means of protection are required.
create a barrier
The so-called barrier contraception method is the most common among all methods of birth control. Its essence is to create an obstacle to the path of sperm to the egg. And the simplest type of barrier contraception is a condom. It is accessible, easy to use, does not affect lactation or the health of the child in any way, and most importantly, it can be used at any time, that is, as soon as you “want.” In addition, most modern “rubber products” are additionally treated with special spermicides and lubricants, which virtually eliminates discomfort during sexual intercourse. But the condom also has a disadvantage - it is not very reliable (it can break), and men do not always like the condom.
inhibit sperm
This method of contraception is based on the local use of spermicides - special chemicals that kill sperm. They are produced in the form of creams, suppositories, and vaginal tablets, so a woman always has a choice of which spermicide she prefers. Spermicides are absolutely safe for health, they can be used immediately after childbirth and, most importantly, during breastfeeding. Another advantage of spermicides is that they are very easy to use: just before sexual intercourse, the drug is simply injected into the vagina. They also have additional bonuses - spermicides not only protect against unwanted pregnancy, but also protect against some sexually transmitted infections. The only thing is that, as with any medical drug, there can be an allergy to spermicides.
selecting pills
Almost all women have heard about hormonal contraceptive pills (oral contraceptives - OK), and many took them before pregnancy. Is it possible to use them now, after the birth of the child? If the mother does not breastfeed, then OK can be used from the beginning of the first menstruation after childbirth. If the mother is breastfeeding, she can also use oral contraceptives, but not all. During lactation, so-called combination drugs that contain an estrogen component and gestagens are contraindicated. But you can take pills that contain only gestagen (they are also called mini-pills). Progestin drugs do not affect the quality of breast milk and the duration of lactation. True, taking these pills will require a certain discipline from the woman - skipping a pill can lead to side effects and reduce the contraceptive effect. The disadvantage of hormonal contraception is that it has many contraindications and side effects.
unreliable methods
The highest efficiency is with hormonal methods of contraception (up to 99%), about 98% –
for the lactational amenorrhea method (if you follow all the rules), up to 95%
for
spermicides, followed by a condom
-
86
-
96% (if used correctly).
But such common methods of contraception as interrupted sexual intercourse and the so-called calendar method have very low effectiveness - about 40–50%. With coitus interruptus, everything is clear: there are never guarantees that a man will “make it”, and the same is with the calendar method. It is based on the fact that a woman approximately determines the day of ovulation and calculates “dangerous days,” but after childbirth, when the mother is breastfeeding or even if she has stopped breastfeeding, it is very difficult to determine the date of ovulation, but it
is easy to make a mistake. And even with an already regular menstrual cycle, there is always a possibility that in this particular month ovulation will shift and the calculations will be incorrect.
Each woman is individual, so there is no single, best contraceptive, and here you need to focus not on advertising from pharmaceutical companies or advice from friends, but on your own health, family situation and doctor’s recommendations.
- the method of natural, “natural” contraception works only if the break between daytime breastfeedings is no more than 3-4 hours, and between nighttime breastfeedings - no more than 6. But even in this case, natural contraception does not provide a 100% guarantee
- hormonal contraceptives are undoubtedly the most effective and reliable method of preventing pregnancy today
- a biological, or rhythmic (calendar) method of contraception, based on abstaining from sexual intercourse on “dangerous” days of the menstrual cycle, provides only a 40–50% chance of pregnancy protection. The contraceptive result is even lower for such a simple and unpretentious means of contraception as interrupted coitus
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.
Contraindications for use and side effects
A woman can lose weight from taking hormonal medications if she takes them correctly and has no contraindications to use. You should not take birth control pills in the following conditions:
- uncontrolled diabetes mellitus;
- smoking women over 35 years of age;
- with a tendency to thrombosis and increased blood clotting;
- for high-risk arterial hypertension, cardiovascular pathologies;
- women with allergies to any of the components.
When using birth control pills, side effects may occur that will require discontinuation or replacement of the drug. Their severity varies from person to person, but in the first 2 months they are a consequence of addiction to the drug. You need to pay attention to the following conditions:
- bloody vaginal discharge;
- pain in the mammary gland;
- decreased libido;
- mood changes, depression;
- headache;
- increased blood pressure;
- pain in the calves;
- skin rashes.
The cosmetic effect is not a side effect of taking birth control pills; it is a direct effect of antiandrogenic types of progestins.
Birth control pills for women over 40
For women who have crossed the age limit of 40 years, it is necessary to use contraceptives with small doses of the active substance and take into account all individual characteristics.
As contraception you can use:
- Janine.
- Novinet.
- Grandaxin.
- Divina.
- Microlute.
- Excluton.
- Trisiston.
- Silest.
The above medications should be used after consultation with a specialist. It is important to follow the dosage and administration regimen, excluding any omissions.
Which birth control pills are suitable for a 40-year-old woman?
Birth control pills are an excellent method of contraception for a 40-year-old woman, especially if the woman has used this method before and tolerated it well. The best and most effective birth control pills after age 40 are two-part pills containing estrogen and progesterone, or one-part pills containing only progesterone.
The tablets vary depending on the amount and proportion of synthetic hormones, so only a gynecologist, after a thorough interview and tests, will be able to select the appropriate drug for the patient at the appropriate age.
However, the pill, which contains about 30 mcg of estrogen, is suggested to be recommended for women between the ages of 20 and 30 or up to 40 years of age. Higher doses should be used in women with increased hormonal metabolism or large body weight. The closer you are to menopause, the lower the estrogen level in the pill should be.
There are also tablets on the market containing natural estradiol valerate, which works well in premenopausal women. This component is suitable for women over 40-45 years old. years, ensure regular cycles, relieve them from the side effects of menopause. And when fertility in such patients has decreased, you can switch to hormone replacement therapy naturally.
