Birth control...?

Question

I know to some people this will sound like a dumb question, and if it does, please don't respond. The way birth control works is that it makes the body think that it's pregnant so that you don't ovulate. Right? That is what I have heard. And if that's the case, why do we have to have a period at all if we don't have a egg to get rid of?

Ok. But does it thicken or thin first. Getting different responses. But either way, that makes more sense.

Well which one is it? I think I'm more confused now, lol.

I do take the birth control pills. It was just a question.

Answer 1

Most birth control pills are "combination pills" containing a combination of the hormones estrogen and progesterone to prevent ovulation (the release of an egg during the monthly cycle). A woman cannot get pregnant if she doesn't ovulate because there is no egg to be fertilized. The Pill also works by thickening the mucus around the cervix, which makes it difficult for sperm to enter the uterus and reach any eggs that may have been released. The hormones in the Pill can also sometimes affect the lining of the uterus, making it difficult for an egg to attach to the wall of the uterus.

Most combination pills come in either a 21-day pack or a 28-day pack. One hormone pill is taken each day at about the same time for 21 days. Depending on your pack, you will either stop taking birth control pills for 7 days (as in the 21-day pack) or you will take a pill that contains no hormones for 7 days (the 28-day pack). A woman has her period when she stops taking the pills that contain hormones. Some women prefer the 28-day pack because it helps them stay in the habit of taking a pill every day.

There is also a type of combination pill that decreases the frequency of a woman's period by supplying a hormone pill for 12 weeks and then inactive pills for 7 days. This decreases the number of periods to one every 3 months instead of one every month.

Another kind of pill that also decreases the number of monthly periods is the low-dose progesterone pill, sometimes called the mini-pill. This type of birth control pill differs from the other pills in that it only contains one type of hormone — progesterone — rather than a combination of estrogen and progesterone. It works in a similar fashion to the combination pill; however, it can be slightly less effective at preventing pregnancy.

The mini-pill is taken every day without a break. A girl who is taking the mini-pill may have no period at all or she may go several months without a period, which means she is not ovulating. Girls taking the mini-pill who are having regular periods are probably still ovulating and are at a somewhat greater risk of getting pregnant than girls whose periods have stopped.

The Pill works best when it is taken every single day at the same time of day, regardless of whether a girl is going to have sex. This is especially important with progesterone-only pills. Do not take a friend's or sister's pills. If pills are skipped or forgotten, a girl is not protected against pregnancy and she will need a backup form of birth control, such as condoms, or she will need to stop having sex for a while.

Answer 2

Birth control is just a pill of estrogene. When taken it causes your uterin walls to stay fairly slick, thus preventing fertilized eggs (or any egg) from being able to attach to the side. If they cant attach then they cant grow. Youll be just fine by the way if you just skip the suger pills and stay on the the regular ones. You dont have to have a period to stay healthy. I never take the ones designated for the period week. If you dont allow yourself to have a period just watch your body closely so you know your not pregnant. By the way birth control can make women very emotional - if you notice yourself getting moody try an I.U.D

Answer 3

Even women not on the pill have periods without passing eggs. We don't pass eggs every month. Teenage girls pass more eggs than women in their 20's on up. That's why they are more fertile. We will continue to have a periods every month though. It is a cycle that keeps on going. And yes, birth control does trick the body into thinking it is pregnant, that's why I quit taking it.

Answer 4

the pill thins out your uterine lining so that the egg wont attach. That is what my doc. told me when I was taking birth control. You still ovulate. And thats not a stupid question, its better to know!

Answer 5

The pill thickens your uterine lining, so that an egg that is fertilized cannot attach to the wall, in addition, the extra mucus makes it difficult for the sperm to reach the egg.

Answer 6

take the birth control pills

Answer 7

your body doesn't think you are pregnant. the pills just keep your uterus thin so you cannot nourish an egg. when you go on the inactive pills it allows the uterus to thicken and slough off. you still have eggs

Answer 8

Every month millions of women endure menstruation and the accompanying symptoms that frequently come with monthly periods. Monthly menstruation often brings with it cramps, headaches, mood swings, acne, heavy bleeding and a variety of other symptoms. Approximately 2.5 million women are affected by menstrual disorders monthly in the U.S. making them the most common reason for gynecology appointments.

According to a study reported in the June 2001 issue of the "American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology," 91 percent of women who experience menstrual symptoms would, given the choice, extend the use of their oral contraceptives to eliminate or lessen the frequency of menstruation. Ninety-four percent of the women in the study, who attempted extending their use of birth control pills, said that their quality of life greatly improved or improved with the extended use of the Pill.

Patricia Sulak, M.D., Professor, Department of Obstetrics/Gynecology, Texas A&M University System Health Science Center College of Medicine at Scott & White Memorial Hospital in Temple, TX is lead author of the study. Dr. Sulak said the study is important "because it is the first long-term study of a large series of patients to evaluate acceptance and long-term continuation rates of altering the 21/7 day birth control regime."

Dr. Sulak feels that it is "remarkable" not just how eager women were to try this change in how they took their birth control pills, but how easily they were able to incorporate the change. "A large number of women chose to continue the extended regimen of real pills for long periods of time and indicated that the quality of their lives greatly improved."

This retrospective study was conducted by Dr. Sulak over seven years as she counseled patients about the way they took their monophasic 30-35 mcg oral contraceptives to decrease the unwanted symptoms of menstruation (migraine headaches, cramps, PMS.)

During the study, women were given the option of extending their use of the 'real' pills contained in the usual 21/7 day regimen. Women were able to choose to extend their use of the homone-containing pills for six, nine, or 12 weeks or until their body naturally developed breakthrough bleeding. When women reached their chosen number of weeks or when breakthrough bleeding occurred, women were advised to stop the Pill for three to seven days and then resume the extended birth control regimen with the hormone-containing pill.

Dr. Sulak found it surprising to "learn that women who extend their active oral contraceptive pills not only liked the result, they also end up staying on the birth control pill for many years, often much longer than the average OC user."

Some potential positive implications for women's health could result from this study. We know that the Pill decreases the risk of ovarian and uterine cancers, pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), endometriosis, and several other serious health conditions. And by getting their periods less often women experience less headaches, cramps, mood swings, and other symptoms associated with menstruation.

A New Drug Application (NDA) is expected to be filed, by Barr Laboratories, Inc., with the FDA sometime in mid-2002 for a new oral contraceptive. The new drug, Seasonale™, is currently being researched and has completed Phase III clinical trials. Seasonale is expected to be packaged for 13-week use (84 days on/7 days off), reducing the number of menstrual cycles a woman experiences to just four per year.

Discuss the possiblity of extending your use of hormone-containing birth control pills to stop your periods with your clinician. Never attempt self-medication of any kind without the approval of your health care provider

Answer 9

Good question, I wonder the same thing

Answer 10

i don't know...but im glad i don't have to go through that...wait i do every time my wife gets hers..just joking