Hormonal methods work in different ways depending on the method being used. The two main ways most of the hormonal methods can work to prevent pregnancy are:
Another way some of the hormonal methods may work is to cause the lining of the uterus to begin to thin. This can prevent the fertilized eggs from attaching to it and growing. The chance of a method working in this way is very unlikely.
The hormones in these methods are very much like the hormones estrogen and Preogesterone that are made naturally in every woman's body. Estrogen and Progestin are chemicals made in the ovaries that send special messages to the other parts of a woman's body to prepare it for the possibility of becoming pregnant. However, when hormonal methods are used, they stop the woman's body from making the right amount of these hormones. This causes changes in the woman's body that stop her from becoming pregnant.
Hormonal methods work very well to prevent pregnancy, but do not protect against HIV or other sexually transmitted diseases. If a woman is concerned that she might get a sexually transmitted disease from her partner, they should use condoms.
The contraceptive patch is a small patch a woman can wear on her skin to keep her from getting pregnant. It sticks to the skin like a Band-Aid. The patch contains both estrogen and progestin. The hormones go slowly into the woman's body through her skin.
Each patch works for only 1 week. You wear 1 patch each week for 3 weeks. During the fourth week, you wear no patch at all. This is when you will get your period.
The patch works well to prevent pregnancy. But it does not protect against HIV and other STDs. If you have sex with anyone you think might give you a sexually transmitted infection, you should use a condom.
Perfect user: A person that uses their method of pregnancy prevention correctly all of the time.
Typical user: A person who does not use their method of pregnancy prevention correctly.
With perfect use, the patch is 99.7% effective.
This means that if 100 women use the patch exactly the right way, only 1 woman (and probably no women) out of that group will get pregnant in a year.
With typical use, the patch is 92% effective.
For women who don't always use their patch exactly the right way, 8 women out of 100 might get pregnant in a year.
For women who weigh 198 pounds (90 kilos) or more, the patch may not work as well.
Important: Some women stop using the patch when they have any of these side effects. The side effects won't hurt you or stop you from having a baby in the future. They usually go away in 1 to 3 months. If they bother you, go back to your clinician so that you can be given a different method that may not cause any side effects.
Remember: If you ever stop the patch for any reason, you can get pregnant right away.
Some signs of possible serious side effects are:
The chances of having these warning signs of a possible serious health problem is very low. However, if you should have one or more of them, go to your clinician or an emergency room right away.
If you see a doctor for any reason, tell the doctor that you are using the patch. Some medicines may keep the patch from working as well. If you need to take one of these medicines, you may need to use a back up method of pregnancy prevention, like condoms, until you finish the medication. Your doctor will tell you if this is necessary.
To learn more about how to use the patch, go to:
The contraceptive pill is what most people think of as "the pill." It is a pill made with both estrogen and progestin. The woman takes one pill at the same time each day.
There are many types and brands of contraceptive pills. They come in different colors and in different kinds of packs. A clinician decides which type and brand is best for each woman.
The pill works well to prevent pregnancy, but it does not protect against HIV and other STDs. Use a condom every time you have sex to help protect against these diseases.
Perfect user: A person that uses their method of pregnancy prevention correctly all of the time.
Typical user: A person who does not use their method of pregnancy prevention correctly.
With perfect use, the pill is 99.7% effective.
This means that if 100 women use the pill exactly the right way, only 1 woman (and probably no women) out of that group will get pregnant in a year.
With typical use, the pill is 92% effective.
For women who don't always take their pill exactly the right way, 8 women out of 100 might get pregnant in a year.
Important: Some women stop taking the pill when they have any of these side effects. The side effects won't hurt you or stop you from having a baby in the future. They usually go away in 1 to 3 months. If they bother you, go back to your clinician so that you can be given a different pill that my not cause any side effects.
Remember: If you ever stop the pill for any reason, you can get pregnant right away.
Some signs of possible serious side effects are:
The chance of having these warning signs of a possible serious health problem is very low. However, if you should have one or more of them, go to your clinician or an emergency room right away.
If you see a doctor for any reason, tell the doctor that you are using the pill. Some medicines may keep the pill from working as well. If you need to take one of these medicines, you may need to use a back up method of pregnancy prevention, like condoms, until you finish the medication. Your doctor will tell you if this is necessary.
To learn more about how to use the pill, go to:
The contraceptive ring is a thin, flexible, plastic ring that a woman wears inside the vagina to keep from getting pregnant. It comes in one size that works for most women. The ring has two hormones in it: estrogen and progestin. The hormones slowly go into the woman's body through the skin in her vagina.
The ring works on a 4-week cycle. The woman puts a new ring in once a month. The ring works to prevent pregnancy. But it does not protect against HIV and other STDs. If you are having sex with someone who might give you a sexually transmitted infection, use a condom.
Perfect user: A person that uses their method of pregnancy prevention correctly all of the time.
Typical user: A person who does not use their method of pregnancy prevention correctly.
With perfect use, the ring is 99.7% effective.
This means that if 100 women use the ring exactly the right way, only 1 woman (and probably no women) out of that group will get pregnant in a year.
With typical use, the ring is 92% effective.
For women who don't always use their ring exactly as directed, 8 women out of 100 might get pregnant in a year.
Important: Some women stop using the ring when they have any of these side effects. The side effects won't hurt you or stop you from having a baby in the future. They usually go away in 1 to 3 months. If they bother you, go back to your clinician so that you can be given a different method that may not cause any side effects.
Remember: If you ever stop the ring for any reason, you can get pregnant right away.
Some signs of possible serious side effects are:
Important: If you have any of these signs, it could mean you have developed a blood clot. Though this is very rare, it is important that you go to your clinician or an emergency room right away.
If you see a doctor for any reason, tell the doctor that you are using the ring. Some medicines may keep the ring from working as well. If you need to take one of these medicines, you may need to use a back up method of pregnancy prevention, like condoms, until you finish the medication. Your doctor will tell you if this is necessary.
To learn more about how to use the ring, go to:
The contraceptive shot that clinics now give is called Depo-Provera. It is a shot that the woman gets every 12 weeks to keep from getting pregnant. The shot only has progestin in it, no estrogen.
The shot works well to prevent pregnancy. But it does not protect against HIV or other STDs. If you are having sex with someone who might give you an STD, use a condom.
Perfect user: A person that uses their method of pregnancy prevention correctly all of the time.
Typical user: A person who does not use their method of pregnancy prevention correctly.
With perfect use, the shot is 99.7% effective.
This means that if 100 women use the shot exactly the right way, only 1 woman (and probably no women) out of that group will get pregnant in a year.
With typical use, the shot is 97% effective.
For women who don't always use the shot exactly the right way, 3 women out of 100 might get pregnant in a year.
Changes in menstrual bleeding
At first, all women who use the shot have changes in their periods.
After using the shot for 12 months, some women stop having periods. Your periods will return to normal after the last shot wears off.
Some women may get one or more of these side effects:
Important: Some women stop getting the shot when they have any of these side effects. The side effects won't hurt you or stop you from having a baby in the future. They usually go away in 1 to 3 months. If they bother you, go back to your clinician so that you can be given a different pill that my not cause any side effects.
Remember: If you ever stop the shot for any reason, you can get pregnant right away.
Some signs of possible serious side effects are:
The chance of having these warning signs of a possible serious health problem is very low. However, if you should have one or more of them, go to your clinician or an emergency room right away.
If you see a doctor for any reason, tell the doctor that you are getting contraceptive shots. Some medicines may keep the shot from working as well. If you need to take one of these medicines, you may need to use a back up method of pregnancy prevention, like condoms, until you finish the medication. Your doctor will tell you if this is necessary.
To learn more about how to use the shot, go to:
What can be done to prevent pregnancy if a condom breaks, you don’t use a regular method of birth control correctly, you have sex without using any method of birth control, or someone has forced you to have sex? You can take Emergency Contraceptive Pills (ECPs).
ECPs are very safe pills made from hormones like the ones a teen girl’s body makes after she starts having her menstrual periods. When a certain number of ECPs are taken soon after unprotected sex, they can prevent pregnancy.
The most recent scientific research shows that ECPs work by preventing ovulation (the time when the egg comes out of the ovary). This means if there is no egg to meet with the sperm, you cannot get pregnant. ECPs may also prevent sperm from getting to the egg.
ECPs do not work by causing an abortion.
All of the emergency contraceptive pills are very safe.
Many women keep ECPs at home for emergencies. This allows them to take the ECPs as soon as possible.
In most cases it is easy to get ECPs, especially in California.
The National EC Hotline website at www.not-2-late.com and 1-888-668-2528 can also be used to find a place to get ECPs anywhere in the United States.
If 100 women have unprotected sex one time during the second or third week of their normal menstrual cycle, about 8 will get pregnant if they don’t take any kind of ECPS.
If 100 women take Plan B®, only 1 will get pregnant. If Plan B® is taken within 24 hours of unprotected sex, it is even more effective. If the other ECPs are used, only about 2 women will become pregnant.
Important: Teens should always talk with a health provider or a pharmacist to make sure they get the proper ECP taking instructions.
There is no limit as to the number of times ECPs can be taken.
It is very important to remember that ECPs don’t work as well as many of the other methods of birth control. This means just because they worked one time, doesn’t mean they will work again. Emergency Contraception shouldn’t be used as a main method of birth control for anyone.
The only way of knowing if the ECPs worked is when you get your next period. You may get your period when you normally expected to have it. It can also happen one week earlier or one week later than usual. You may even have more bleeding with your period.
If the period doesn’t come within seven days when it normally is expected or when it does come, it is lighter than usual, you may be pregnant . You should go to a clinic or your doctor right away.
No. If you take ECPs accidently when you are pregnant, there is no scientific information that shows they will hurt the pregnancy . They will also not cause an abortion.
No. All the other methods of birth control work better than ECPs when they are used correctly.
No. ECPs will not protect anyone from getting any of the sexually transmitted infections and HIV.