Oral contraceptives are one of the most effective means of preventing unwanted pregnancy.. They contain, in combination or separately, substances similar to the female sex hormones - estrogen and progesterone..

The mechanism of action of these drugs is quite simple.. Around the middle of each menstrual cycle, a woman ovulates, that is, an egg is released from the ovary into the abdominal cavity, which can be fertilized. Oral contraceptives do not allow her to mature and leave the ovary. They also make the mucus in the cervical area thicker, which makes it very difficult for sperm to move, and thin the endometrium (the lining of the uterus), making it harder for a fertilized egg to attach to it and its subsequent development.. The absence of ovulation does not cancel monthly bleeding, however, their occurrence becomes more predictable, and in some cases, after consultation with a doctor, they can be postponed by using a specific oral contraceptive regimen..

The effectiveness of these drugs when used correctly is more than 99%. If pregnancy does occur, this is most often associated with missing the time of taking the pill - then the effectiveness of oral contraceptives is reduced to 92%.

What are the advantages Oral contraceptives are good not only for their almost 100% effectiveness: some of these drugs help with acne. They also reduce the risk of developing ovarian, uterine, and colon cancers.. Oral contraceptives may also protect against pelvic inflammatory disease, reduce the risk of developing fibroids, ovarian cysts, and non-cancer breast disease..

Interestingly, oral contraceptives are used not only if a woman is sexually active and wants to prevent unwanted pregnancy.. These drugs may be prescribed to treat endometriosis (an overgrowth of tissue similar to the lining of the body of the uterus), heavy or irregular periods, and complex premenstrual syndrome..

What is dangerous The most serious drawback of oral contraceptives is that they can slightly increase the risk of developing breast cancer or rare cancer and benign liver tumors, as well as slightly increase the likelihood of a blood clot leading to a heart attack or stroke. Also, these drugs can provoke the appearance of age spots on the face, increase blood pressure. But contrary to popular belief, they do not affect the weight and thickness of facial hair, unlike those oral contraceptives that were used several decades ago..

Despite the disadvantages that these drugs have, professional medical organizations recommend the use of oral contraceptives, as it is believed that the positive effect of them outweighs the negative consequences and any abortion causes more serious harm to health..

Safety precautions There are about 150 commercial names of oral contraceptives on the Russian market, and the choice must be made by a doctor. You can't just go to the pharmacy and ask for what your girlfriend takes.. The gynecologist-endocrinologist will take into account whether the patient has a risk of blood clots, how the drugs she takes can affect the effect of oral contraceptives, etc.. For example, problems may occur in women older than 35 who smoke or have recently quit smoking, who have severe obesity, high blood pressure, or a family history of severe migraine or breast cancer, who are taking St.

John's wort extract or Corvalol..

In the first months of taking oral contraceptives, headache, nausea, mood swings may occur.. This is normal, but it's still worth talking to your doctor, who will determine if you need to change the drug or you can wait and see if the symptoms go away on their own.. Do not stop taking oral contraceptives without consulting your doctor: this can cause unexpected bleeding and other unhealthy consequences..

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