|
Birth
Control Pills, Patch, and Vaginal Ring
Each of
these methods is made of hormones, estrogen and progesterone, that
are similar to those made by a woman's ovaries. The increased hormone
level stops the ovaries from releasing an egg each month. These
methods are all 99% effective at preventing pregnancy if used correctly.
They do not protect against sexually transmitted diseases or HIV.
How
do you use them?
Birth
Control Pills: One pill is swallowed every day - at
around the same time every day. There are three weeks of hormones;
you get your period during the fourth week of "dummy pills."
Birth Control Patch:A new patch is placed
on the skin each week for 3 weeks in a row. (Each patch is left
on for seven days and then changed). Hormones are absorbed into
the body through the skin. No patch is worn during the fourth week.
You get your period during the fourth week.
Vaginal
Ring: The ring is placed into the vagina. Once in the
vagina, the woman can't tell it is there unless she feels for it
with her fingers. The ring is left in the vagina for three weeks
out of every month. Hormones are absorbed into the body from the
ring. The ring is removed at the end of the third week. You get
your period during the fourth week when there is no ring in place.
Side
effects:
Most women have no side effects. A few women may have nausea, breast
tenderness, spotting between periods or slight weight gain or loss.
Additional benefits:
Birth control pills, patches and rings usually cause women to have
lighter, shorter and less painful periods. They also help clear up
acne, and decrease the risk of some gynecological cancers.
Always use condoms along with birth control pills for best protection
against pregnancy AND sexually transmitted diseases.
Copyright
© 2003-2008 HiTOPS, Inc. |
