While oral contraceptives (a.k.a. “the pill”) have become commonplace in our society, many people don’t know much about how these drugs actually prevent pregnancy from occurring, and the process is actually a bit more complicated and interesting than you may have thought. Here is a quick look at everything you need to know about the pill—including how it works, its potential risks, and a look at research trends in oral contraceptives.
Taking Oral Contraceptives
As the name implies, oral contraceptives are taken by mouth. All forms of oral contraception must be taken on a daily basis, and in fact, some specific brands must be taken at roughly the same time each day as well. Most varieties of the pill are taken for 21 days in a row followed by a week without, but there are some 28-day products available as well.
How Oral Contraceptives Work
In a nutshell, oral contraceptives work by releasing hormones into the body that prevent pregnancy. These hormones (which are most commonly estrogen and progestin) stop eggs within the uterus from developing completely, which makes it impossible for them to be properly fertilized by sperm. Additionally, the pill thickens the consistency of the cervical mucus, which makes it more difficult for sperm to even reach the egg in the first place.
Success Rates of Oral Contraceptives
When taken correctly, most versions of the pill have a success rate of near 99%, but there is always the chance that something could go wrong with the process, causing an unplanned pregnancy to occur. However, in most instances of oral contraceptives not being effective, it’s due to the fact that the user failed to take them on a daily basis.
Complications with Oral Contraceptives
Women who are nonsmokers and have no other known health issues have only a very small risk of developing complications when using the pill. Despite this, there are still some risks associated with using these types of products. Most commonly these include spotting between periods, headaches, blood clots, an increase in blood pressure, breast sensitivity, and abdominal cramps.
Male Birth Control
For now, the pill remains something for use exclusively by women, but researchers are increasingly devoting more time to finding an oral contraceptive that can act as male birth control. While numerous products have had relatively good success in reducing sperm counts or preventing sperm from fertilizing eggs, the main obstacle in having these contraceptives finalized is figuring out how to make these effects reversible. For example, gossypol, which is extracted from cotton plants, has had great success in decreasing men’s sperm counts, but in about 20% of test subjects, this decrease becomes permanent.
