Hormonal Methods

Hormonal methods work in different ways depending on the method being used. The two main ways that hormonal methods prevent pregnancy are:

  1. They keep eggs from leaving the ovary.
  2. They thicken the mucus made in the cervix so that sperm can't travel through it to get to the egg. (The cervix is the bottom part of the uterus that is at the back of the vagina.)

Some hormonal methods may work by causing the lining of the uterus to thin, which may prevent the fertizilized egg from attaching to it and growing. However, 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 progesterone that are made naturally in every woman's body. Estrogen and progesterone 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 birth control 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, the couple should use condoms.

Birth Control Pill

What is the Birth Control Pill?

The birth control 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.

Effectiveness

Perfect user: A person who 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.

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Advantages

  • The pill is easy to use.
  • The pill is very good at preventing pregnancy.
  • The pill makes periods lighter and less "crampy".
  • The pill may make acne better.
  • The pill does not interrupt having sex.
  • The pill helps protect against cancer of the ovary and cancer of the uterus.
  • Breasts may be less tender while taking the pill.
  • The pill does not cause serious health problems in most women.

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Possible Side Effects

  • Changes in bleeding
  • Nausea and vomiting
  • Tender or full breasts
  • Mood changes
  • Skin changes
  • Hair growth
  • Slight headaches
  • Decrease in sex drive

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.

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Possible Warning Signs

Some signs of possible serious side effects are:

  • Dizziness
  • Numbness in arms or legs
  • Abdominal pain that is severe
  • Chest pain
  • Bad headache
  • Eye problems
  • Bad leg pain, swelling, or redness

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.

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Important Warning

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.

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To Learn More

To learn more about how to use the pill, go to:

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Birth Control Patch

What Is the Birth Control Patch?

The contraceptive patch is a small patch a woman can wear on her skin to keep her from getting pregnant. It is sometimes referred to by its brand name, Ortho Evra. 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.

Effectiveness

Perfect user: A person who 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.

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Advantages

  • The patch is easy to use.
  • The patch is very good at preventing pregnancy.
  • The patch does not interrupt sex.
  • The patch stays on even when you exercise, shower, or take a bath.
  • The patch may make periods lighter and less "crampy".
  • The patch may make acne better.
  • The patch helps protect against cancer of the ovary and cancer of the uterus.
  • The patch does not cause any serious problems in most women.

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Possible Side Effects

  • Tender or full breasts
  • Changes in menstrual bleeding
  • Nausea
  • Mood changes
  • Rash
  • Decrease in sex drive

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.

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Possible Warning Signs

Some signs of possible serious side effects are:

  • Dizziness
  • Numbness in arms or legs
  • Abdominal pain that is severe
  • Chest pain
  • Bad headache
  • Eye problems
  • Bad leg pain, swelling, or redness

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.

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Important Warning

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.

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To Learn More

To learn more about how to use the patch, go to:

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Birth Control Ring

What is the Birth Control Ring?

The birth control ring is a thin, flexible, plastic ring that a woman wears inside the vagina to keep from getting pregnant. It is sometimes referred to by its brand name, NuvaRing. 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 condoms.

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Effectiveness

Perfect user: A person who 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.

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Advantages

  • The ring is very good at preventing pregnancy.
  • You only have to put the ring in once a month.
  • The ring does not interrupt sex.
  • The ring may make periods lighter and less "crampy".
  • The ring may make acne better.
  • The ring helps protect against cancer of the ovary and cancer of the uterus.
  • The ring does not cause any serious health problems in most women.

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Possible Side Effects

  • Changes in menstrual bleeding
  • Headaches
  • Increased vaginal discharge or irritation
  • Decrease in sex drive

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.

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Possible Warning Signs

Some signs of possible serious side effects are:

  • Dizziness
  • Numbness in arms or legs
  • Abdominal pain that is severe
  • Chest pain
  • Bad headache
  • Eye problems
  • Bad leg pain, swelling, or redness

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.

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Important Warning

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.

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To Learn More

To learn more about how to use the ring, go to:

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Birth Control Shot

What is the Birth Control Shot?

The birth control shot is a shot that a woman gets at a clinic every 12 months to prevent pregnancy. It is sometimes referred to by its brand name, Depo-Provera. Unlike most forms of hormonal birth control, the shot only has progestin in it (no estrogen).

The shot works very 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.

Effectiveness

Perfect user: A person who 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.

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Advantages

  • The shot is easy to use and lasts for 12 weeks.
  • The shot is very good at preventing pregnancy.
  • The shot may help prevent some health problems, like ovarian cancer and cancer of the lining of the uterus.
  • Periods are lighter and less "crampy".
  • Some women like not having a period.
  • The shot can be used by women who can't take estrogen.
  • The shot doesn't interrupt sex.

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Possible Side Effects

At first, all women who use the shot have changes in their periods.

  • You may not know when you will have your period.
  • You may have spotting between periods. For most women, this lessens over time.
  • You may have longer or shorter periods.

After using the shot for 12 months, some women stop having periods. Your periods may return to normal after the last shot wears off or it may take up to 6 months or longer for this to happen.

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Other Common Side Effects

Some women may get one or more of these side effects:

  • Fatigue
  • Sore breasts
  • Nausea
  • Weight gain (this can be 5 pounds or more)
  • Headaches
  • Nervousness
  • Depression
  • Dizziness
  • Changes in sex drive

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.

Using the shot may cause a woman’s bones  to become weaker as she becomes older. Weaker bones can mean bones that break easily. This can be a very serious medical problem. To help prevent weak bones:

  1. Don’t smoke – besides the other dangerous effects of smoking, smoking can weaken bones.
  2. Eat a healthy diet including foods high in calcium like orange juice that has calcium in it and dairy products – calcium and many other vitamins and minerals work together to keep bones strong.
  3. Don’t drink sodas, caffeine, energy drinks, and foods with a lot of salt – these can make bones weak.
  4. Exercise every day – exercising at least 30 minutes a day, even if it is walking, can help keep bones strong.

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Possible Warning Signs

Some signs of possible serious side effects are:

  • Dizziness
  • Numbness in arms or legs
  • Abdominal pain that is severe
  • Chest pain
  • Bad headache
  • Eye problems
  • Bad leg pain, swelling, or redness

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.

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Important Warning

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.

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To Learn More

To learn more about how to use the shot, go to:

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