Birth control pills (oral contraceptives) – which one is better to choose?

Many girls are concerned about the question of how oral (hormonal) contraceptives affect the menstrual cycle and the abundance of menstruation itself. Let's talk about this in more detail.

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IMPORTANT! Before starting to take contraceptives, you should visit your doctor. Self-prescribing drugs can harm the female reproductive system!

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Oral contraceptives and periods

It is no secret that taking contraceptive pills (COCs) can affect the regularity of the menstrual cycle and the nature of the periods themselves. This happens because the drugs contain different doses of the estrogen hormone, which is responsible for the formation of the first phase of the menstrual cycle.

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During this period, a follicle-stimulating substance is released, which is responsible for the active activity of one of the ovaries (a small cavity with an egg inside appears on the surface of the organ).

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In the middle of the cycle, the hormone estrogen is replaced by luteinizing hormone, which ensures the release of the egg from the follicle. This is ovulation. And it is during this period that it is so easy to get pregnant.

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Operating principle OK

Upon admission

COCs contain 21 tablets per package. After completing the packaging, you need to take a week break. Ideally, your period should begin during the break. However, their onset does not always occur in a timely manner, especially in the first months of use - menstruation may begin earlier or later.

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The body needs time to get used to the drug. Sometimes the process of getting used to the body and restoring the cycle takes up to six months.

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You should know that when you take birth control pills, the nature of your periods also changes - menstrual-like discharge may appear, periods may become heavier or weaker, longer or shorter, etc.

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IMPORTANT! If your period does not start even on the sixth day after finishing the package, you should take a pregnancy test. If it is negative, then regardless of whether menstruation began immediately after taking the 21st tablet or not, you should start taking the next package exactly 7 days after the break. This will allow you to get a cycle of 28 days.

What changes may occur during the formation of a cycle:

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After cancellation

After stopping taking hormonal medications, many women experience irregularities in their menstrual cycle. This is normal, because... During the first few months, your natural cycle is restored. If the problem does not go away for a long time, then you need to contact a specialist. The reason for the jumps lies in the failure of the activity of one or another hormone. Once identified, you will be prescribed treatment.

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If after stopping hormonal contraceptives there are no periods for a long time, then you should consult a doctor. The gynecologist will examine you, firstly, for pregnancy, and secondly, to identify pathologies and side effects.

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If you do not have periods after taking OK, you need to do an ultrasound of the pelvic organs, donate blood for hormones (required LH and FSH), and be examined by a doctor.

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Mini-pills and menstruation

When taking the mini-pill, there is no need to take a break between packs! We accept without interruption: as soon as one package is finished, we immediately open another.

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Emergency contraception and periods

After taking EC (even once), the menstrual cycle will be unstable for some time. This happens because when you take an emergency pill, a huge amount of hormones enter your body.

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Usually, after taking EC, periods begin earlier than expected (by about 1-2 weeks), if the emergency contraceptive drug was taken in the first half of the menstrual cycle.

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It is possible that menstruation will begin 3-7 days later than expected. But if the delay is more than seven days (even after taking Escapel or Postinor), then it is necessary to undergo examination by a gynecologist for pregnancy.

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You should know! For several months, and sometimes up to six months after using EC, minor cycle disruptions may occur. Also, taking EC can affect not only the frequency of the cycle, but also the characteristics of the menstruation itself. Discharge can become scanty or abundant, short or prolonged, etc.

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Earning Oki

Before we begin our story, I would like to warn users - you should not trust people who offer you services or programs that can give you a lot of free OKs. Never react to the phrase “How to get OKs on Odnoklassniki for free and without programs” - it’s impossible. You will get nothing from such applications except losing your own account. Unfortunately, you won’t be able to buy OKs on Odnoklassniki for free. As soon as authorization in one of these “software” is carried out, the login and password of your page will fall into the hands of attackers.

So, let’s begin to consider the issue of earning OKs in Odnoklassniki.

Profitable tasks

You can earn social network currency in groups. Sometimes, in order to gain subscribers, the latter simply give OKs to those who subscribe to community updates. But since there are many people willing, getting caught up in such a promotion is a matter of pure chance.

A much simpler way to earn OKs is to participate in the administration of groups. You will be tasked with reviewing the content that users add to the community, and for this you will be awarded OKs. It is not necessary to be a moderator: the user can be paid, for example, for inviting new subscribers.

You need to look for such places yourself, because these vacancies are selling like hot cakes. But if you make an effort, you can earn a considerable amount of OKs in a couple of hours a day.

How to earn OKs on other sites

There are some resources that reward you with special credits for completing tasks, which can be exchanged for OKs in the future. At first it all seems too confusing, but once you delve into it, you will understand that there is nothing complicated here.

Here is one such site:

coinsup.com

If you complete a simple registration or log in through one of the social networks, you can earn in-game currency and then exchange it for OKs. Below is a step-by-step instruction on how to make money like this. Please note that you can buy Oki by spending at least 20 credits.

So let's get started:

Go to the site for earning OKs and click on the authorization button. We chose Facebook - you can log in via VKontakte or Odnoklassniki.

As soon as you enter the site, you will see a list of tasks available for completion. Scroll through the page and find something where you can get 200 credits for a withdrawal test. We choose a bonus for 10 wins in the game WAR THUNDER. For this we will be given just 200 points.

As soon as the task is completed, the credits will immediately be credited to your account.

Now, when the required amount is in your account, you can exchange it for OKi. To do this, click the “Spend” button.

All methods for withdrawing earned credits are arranged alphabetically for ease of search. Let's find the item we need.

Here we are told that in order to withdraw OKs, we need to link a phone number. You will need it to receive a verification code. Click on “Add a phone number on your CoinsUp profile page.”

On the next page, click on the inscription surrounded by a red frame in the screenshot.

After you receive the confirmation code, enter it in the field that appears on the site. Now the withdrawal of points for conversion to Oki will become available.

In our opinion, earning Oki in this way is very long and useless. For 3 hours of playing, we received only 10 OK, which is equal to 10 rubles. It’s definitely not worth wasting your time at a price of 3 rubles per hour.

How to get OK while working as a moderator

This option does not allow you to earn Oki, but with its help you can purchase everything that is bought for them. All you have to do is check the photos and videos that users post on ok.ru. If it is content that contains violence or porn, it should be rejected. For such work you receive points that can be sold profitably at auction. In order to become a moderator of Odnoklassniki, you must be 18 years old.

To understand how it works, follow our instructions:

Follow the moderation application link and view the photos that will be sent to you. If they do not contradict the rules, press the green button; if, on the contrary, then press the red button.

For example, we came across a video in which a man satisfies a woman orally. This is pornography and we are rejecting such a video.

When the task is completed, you will receive an advisory notification. For example, we managed to earn 39 points.

If you inadvertently leak prohibited content onto the Internet, you will be fined, which will greatly reduce the amount of points you earn, and sometimes reduce it to zero. The same applies to content that you have banned without reason.

When you score a sufficient number of points, you can proceed to their implementation. To do this, click the “Auctions” button.

Set the price for any of the lots or several at once and wait until the auction ends.

For example, we won an auction for a “5+” rating for 2 days. The points could have been spent much more correctly, but we just didn’t want to waste time on it.

That's all. You'll be notified that the rating is available and can immediately use the purchased feature.

Possible complications when taking OCs

IMPORTANT! Uncontrolled use of drugs can cause complications.

How to avoid complications

Birth control pills and periods are related. To avoid side effects, you need to follow certain rules:

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The drug should only be prescribed by a doctor
It is necessary to undergo regular examination by a gynecologist (every three cycles)
The instructions for use must be carefully followed
It is necessary to monitor the characteristics of menstruation

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Contraceptive pills are recognized as one of the most effective methods of contraception today. These drugs have no equal in effectiveness. However, many women are afraid to take hormonal contraceptives, citing fear of gaining extra pounds, cost and complexity of the drug regimen. Today we will tell you what happens to your periods when you take birth control, how your cycle changes, and what is the likelihood of pregnancy if you take birth control.

Classification of contraceptives

The mechanism of action of contraceptives is based on replacement therapy. The components included in the drugs replace the synthesis of their own hormones, which leads to suppression of ovulation and inhibition of endothelial transformation.

All contraceptive methods can be divided into four large groups:

Traditional - have been on the market for more than a century. This group includes:

barrier products (condoms, vaginal diaphragms, cervical caps).
Spermicides (chemical methods) are ointments and creams that destroy sperm.
Rhythmic methods are based on identifying “dangerous days” and abstaining from sexual intercourse during them.
interrupted sexual intercourse.

These methods are not highly effective; the probability of pregnancy ranges from 40% to 80%. They do not affect a woman's periods or menstrual cycle.

Voluntary surgical sterilization.
Postcoital (emergency contraception) Postinor or Escapelle are most often used here.
Modern methods are more reliable methods of contraception. They involve the use of hormonal contraceptives or minimally invasive intervention to install an intrauterine device.

Emergency and hormonal contraception involves regularly taking hormonal pills, so they have the greatest effect on girls’ periods and menstrual cycle. These methods will be discussed further.

Types of contraceptive hormonal drugs

All contraceptives can be divided into 2 groups.

Group 1 - Combined contraceptives. They contain two components in different proportions: estrogenic and histogenic components.

Table: Types of combined contraceptives

Types of combined contraceptives	Varieties
1. Combined oral contraceptives (available in tablet form)	Depending on the predominance of one or another hormone, the following are distinguished:

monophasic COCs - contain the same ratio of hormones in all tablets. Means: Logest, Lindenet-20, Novinet.
biphasic COCs - contain components depending on their distribution in the follicular and luteal phases of menstruation. Remedies: Femoston, Biphasil, Binovum.
three-phase COCs - contain components depending on their distribution in the early and late follicular phases and in the luteal phase. Preparations: Tri-Regol, Triziston.

Important! In addition, based on estrogen content, there are low-dose (Diana-35, Yarina, Regulon, Marvelon), micro-dose (Logest, Mirel, Jess, Novinet) and tablets containing natural estrogen (Klayra, Zoelli). Low-dose drugs are suitable as contraceptives.

Group 2 - histogenic contraceptives. As the name suggests, they contain exclusively the hormone progestogen. This group includes:

Mini-pills (tablets). Preparations: Exluton, Microlut, Cherosetta.
Long-lasting forms: injection (Depo-Provera), implantation, intrauterine contraception.

How to take birth control

The dosage regimen for all contraceptives is generally the same and is designated as “21+7”. This means that the first tablet is taken in the evening of the first day of menstruation, once a day. In the future, the tablets should be taken for 21 days without a break. After this period, take a break for exactly 7 days, after which they resume taking it.

Important! Don't miss office hours. Take the tablet at the same time every day. If you forget to take your pill that day, don't panic, just take it a little later. If you forget to take a pill during the whole day, then take it the next day according to the usual schedule. But remember, you don’t need to use 2 tablets at once.

For long-acting drugs (for example, Jess), the application regimen looks like “24+4”. That is, the pills are taken for 24 days with a break of 4 days.

Characteristics of menstruation when using contraceptives

The nature and timing of menstruation with hormonal contraception changes. After taking the first pill on the day of your period, they continue to go at their normal rhythm for 5-7 days. Then, before the next menstruation for three months, the girl may notice scanty spotting bloody discharge from the vagina. Don't be scared, this is normal. If the discharge continues for 4 months or longer, then you need to consult a gynecologist for advice.

The second and third periods will be significantly different from normal. As a rule, they are less abundant and do not last long. These periods occur between days 23 and 28, that is, during a week-long break from taking the drug. The days of menstruation may shift if the girl previously had an irregular cycle, and if the body has not fully adapted against the background of altered hormonal levels.

In some cases, there are no periods at all. The absence of menstruation while using birth control is normal and may go away over time. This suggests that the drug completely suppressed ovarian function, ovulation and endothelial transformation, so menstruation did not occur.

Important! The appearance of heavy periods while taking contraceptives is a reason to consult a gynecologist. This indicates that the hormonal levels are disturbed and unbalanced. In this case, it is best to replace the drug with another, more suitable one.

How to take birth control pills: instructions

Birth control pills begin to work from the first dose. The effect of drugs is determined by the Pearl index. The lower the index, the more productive the contraceptive.

What are birth control pills, what to eat, how to take them is discussed in this article

Birth control pills are taken starting from the first day of menstruation for 21 days. The next 7 days are reserved for resting the body. While taking the pills, the menstrual cycle is not disrupted.

Characteristics of menstruation after stopping the use of contraceptives

After you stop taking contraceptive medications, you will not have periods for several months. This is due to the fact that the hypothalamic-pituitary system is not yet ready to start “its” normal menstrual cycle and the onset of menstruation. It takes 2-3 months for the body to adapt, after which “its” normal periods will come. Sometimes the bleeding is more profuse, but this goes away over time.

This is interesting! As a rule, in the first menstrual cycle after stopping the use of contraceptives, two eggs mature and ovulate at once. The likelihood of becoming pregnant during this period is higher, just as the likelihood of becoming pregnant with twins is high.

Long-term studies have shown that menstruation is restored in 100% of cases and taking medications does not in any way affect the ability to get pregnant. Subsequent pregnancy occurs without any difficulties.

Use of Postinor for contraceptive effect

Postinor is a drug intended for postcoital contraception. Being one of the most widely used drugs in our country, Postinor effectively prevents unwanted pregnancy after unprotected sexual intercourse.

Composition and mechanism of action of Postinor

Postinor contains 0.75 g of Levonorgestrel and auxiliary formative substances. Postinor acts in all periods of the menstrual cycle:

Suppresses ovulation in the first period.
Prevents implantation of the fertilized egg by changing the properties of the uterine endothelium.
Prevents fertilization by suppressing sperm function.

Postinor is effective only if taken in a timely manner: in the first minutes after unprotected sexual intercourse or within three days after it, two tablets and another dose twelve hours after the first. The sooner you take Postinor, the more likely it is to prevent conception.

The nature of menstruation after using Postinor

The onset of menstruation may begin a couple of days earlier or later than due. This is due to hormonal disorders that Postinor causes in the girl’s body. For the same reason, quantitative and qualitative changes in menstruation are often observed after Postinor: menstruation is more abundant and lasts longer than usual. The beginning of discharge is marked by cramping pain in the lower abdomen of high intensity, which disrupts the daily rhythm of life.

Important! Pain may also occur in the first three days after taking Postinor and be accompanied by scanty bleeding.

If menstruation after a course of Postinor does not occur at the usual time, and the delay in menstruation exceeds about 1 week or more, check whether you are pregnant. Postinor does not provide a 100% guarantee of protection against unwanted pregnancy, which means that conception could occur.

In the modern world, there are many types of contraception, which is a matter of personal choice. If you are a sexually active heterosexual woman, it makes sense to consider using oral contraceptives.

Oral contraceptives (OCs) are special hormonal medications taken orally to prevent unwanted pregnancy.

In fact, their functions are not limited to this, and OCs are often prescribed by doctors to relieve other conditions, for example, when periods are too painful or to treat acne.

How birth control pills work

Most modern oral contraceptives are based on the use of two female hormones - progesterone and estrogen. If they are used together, the pills are called combined; if progesterone is used exclusively, these drugs are called mini-pills. Combined ones can contain hormones in microdoses, in low, medium and high doses. Mini-pills are among the most gentle means.

The hormones contained in the tablets are similar to the female hormones produced by the body during pregnancy. They cause inhibition of the hormonal system that ensures the maturation of follicles and ovulation. Thus, the hormone pill prevents the egg from maturing and completely prevents the development of pregnancy. Mini-pills work a little differently; they change the structure of the mucous membrane in the uterus, which is why sperm cannot fertilize the egg, and it loses the opportunity to gain a foothold in the uterus.

All these changes are, of course, reversible. Once you stop taking the pills, within a couple of months your reproductive function will be completely restored, and pregnancy will become possible again. Modern products provide regulation of the menstrual cycle, relieve pain during menstruation, reduce the risk of cancer, they stop facial hair from growing and prevent acne from appearing.

Periods and withdrawal bleeding: what's the difference?

Typically, one package of OK is designed to be taken for one month, and bleeding occurs at the end of taking one package. On these days, no pills are taken or inactive pills that do not contain hormones are taken. This bleeding will likely be different from your normal period and is called withdrawal bleeding.

Withdrawal bleeding and menstruation are two different things. This bleeding is called “withdrawal bleeding” due to the fact that it occurs when a woman does not receive hormonal medication. A drop in hormone levels causes the endometrial (mucous) layer of the uterus to shed, which causes bleeding. Most often, such bleeding is lighter, because when taking OCs, the endometrial layer of the uterus grows less actively than during a normal cycle.

Oral contraceptives: pros and cons

COCs have been used for 55 years. The “horror stories” associated with the side effects of the “pioneers” of hormonal contraception are gradually being forgotten: “a mustache will grow,” “you will get fat,” and others. Birth control pills not only help women control their reproductive function, they are prescribed for hormonal imbalances, hirsutism, acne, dysmenorrhea, and PMS. But we must not forget that these are still hormonal drugs that have a number of contraindications, so they must be prescribed by a doctor.

You will get more useful information about the advantages and disadvantages of oral contraceptives by watching the video:

Clinical pharmacologist, doctor of the highest category Marina Sergeevna Nazarova

23, total, today

( 49 votes, average: 4.78 out of 5)

Nabothian cyst of the cervix
Types of endometriosis. Endometriosis and pregnancy

How much bleeding should there be when taking OK?

The body's response to OCs depends on the natural levels of hormones in your body and the type of OCs you took. A typical pack of monophasic OCs (in which the amount of hormones is the same in each active tablet taken) contains 21 active tablets and 7 inactive, “dummy” tablets. When taking the last 7 empty tablets, withdrawal bleeding occurs. Most often it begins on the second day of taking placebo. Usually this bleeding is less profuse and lasts less. It happens that bleeding continues for a couple of days after starting to take active tablets from the next package. About 10% of women have only spotting.

As you take OCs, the bleeding pattern tends to become less intense and longer lasting.

Lack of bleeding may also be a sign of pregnancy, especially if you have missed pills. If you have reason to be concerned, take a pregnancy test and consult your doctor for advice.

Birth control pills: which ones are better?

To choose the right drug, you first need to familiarize yourself with their variety.

Birth control pills, which are available in pharmacies, come in the following types:

combined;
mini-pills (containing progestogen);
emergency contraceptives.

All drugs in tablets act practically the same. Their contraindications are also similar.

Everyone’s body is individual, and the choice of contraceptive depends on the state of health and the body’s reaction to the medication. While taking the medication, you need to monitor changes in your physical condition. Birth control pills of any type are effective if taken exactly as directed. Before choosing a contraceptive, it is recommended to consult a doctor.

Bleeding while taking active tablets

When taking a typical 28-day combination OC, it often happens that bleeding begins in the middle of taking the active tablets. This bleeding is called breakthrough bleeding. This phenomenon is typical during the first three weeks of taking OCs, when the body adapts to the new level of hormones in the blood. This does not mean that the pills do not work and in the vast majority of cases is not a cause for concern, and most often such bleeding disappears within a couple of months of regular use of the OC and is a side effect. Such bleeding does not in any way affect the contraceptive effectiveness of the drug.

In some cases, it may be necessary to change OCs to those that contain a different level of hormones: doctors try to prescribe first of all drugs containing a minimal amount of estrogen and prescribe tablets with a higher content only in cases where such breakthrough bleeding continues to occur on an ongoing basis.

Sometimes light spotting may be due to a drop in hormone levels caused by missing an active pill.

Leave a request for cooperation

The doctor recommended you pills to prevent unwanted pregnancy!? Perhaps he even indicated which drug would be the best and safest for you!? But, for sure, he didn’t explain the principle of operation of these pills, which make pregnancy impossible!? If this is indeed the case, my article is for you! Let's figure it out! To begin with, a note: COCs are synthetic derivatives of natural sex hormones: estrogens and progesterone. Moreover, the estrogen in them, in the overwhelming majority, is replaced by ethinyl estradiol, and the second, progesterone, can be different: from medroxyprogesterone acetate, cyproterone acetate, chlormadinone acetate (the first generation of progesterone) to norsteroyl derivatives - these are levonorgestrel, desogestrel, gestodene, norgestimate . The new gestagen drospirenone is a derivative of spirolactone. From the names it is clear how far the pharmaceutical industry has come in replacing natural hormones in order to reduce fertility. It is noteworthy that not only the composition, but also the amount of these synthetic derivatives in the tablets changed. Thus, the first COC Enovid, which appeared on the American market in 1960, contained ultra-high doses of hormones: estradiol in one tablet was 150 mcg! Now the doses are significantly (10(!) times reduced). Drugs are divided into high-dose (more than 35 mcg), low-dose (30-35 mcg), microdose (less than 30 mcg of estradiol, respectively). Nevertheless, these synthetic analogues still turn out to be 1000 times stronger than the natural sex hormones produced by the body, which, in fact, explains their contraceptive effect. The mechanism of contraceptive action occurs in several directions:

Ethinyl estradiol (a synthetic analogue of estrogen) binds strongly but nonspecifically to serum albumin (98%) and causes an increase in serum concentrations of sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG). From the name of which it is clear that their hormones (by the way, this applies not only to sex hormones, thyroid hormones can also be bound (!)); in a bound, which means inactive, depressed state.

At the level of cellular receptors. synthetic “estrogens” and “gestagens” tablets block receptors (points of contact) in the organs of the female reproductive system for natural hormones. As a result, orgasm seems to have no hormones of its own. But there is a huge (compared to natural concentration) number of synthetic analogues. For this very reason, the rhythm and secretion of pituitary hormones - LH (luteinizing) and FSH (follicle-stimulating) - decreases. This means there is no growth and maturation of eggs.

Birth control pills also affect the inner lining of the uterus.
“Glandular regression” occurs in it. This means that the endometrium practically atrophies and if suddenly the egg still manages to mature and is fertilized, it will be impossible for it to be implanted in the uterus. Birth control pills also affect the uterine adnexa - the fallopian tubes. Their contractile activity decreases, which means that the movement of the egg along them becomes almost impossible. As you can see, protection against unwanted pregnancy is guaranteed! It is not for nothing that the Pearl Index for COCs ranges from 0.03 to 0.5 and is equated to surgical sterilization. Therefore, women who take COCs for contraception can rest easy. When used correctly, they are not afraid of pregnancy. In the next publication I will dispel myths about the therapeutic use of COCs. Yes, yes, this happens too... Be attentive to your health! Share to:

Is it possible to take OK so that there is no monthly bleeding?

Yes, you can if you are taking a monophasic combined OC, each blister of which is usually designed for 28 days (in such OCs, each active tablet contains the same amount of hormones, the type of drug is always indicated in the instructions). If you want to avoid withdrawal bleeding this month, then on the first day of starting to take dummy pills, you should start the next pack of OK pills with the first active pill instead. If you want to drink more than three packs of active tablets in a row, you must first consult with your gynecologist.

If there is no withdrawal bleeding after OK

OCs are highly effective contraceptives, and if you took the pills as directed and did not miss them, then the likelihood that you are pregnant is minimal. However, if you have not had withdrawal bleeding two times in a row, you should consult your doctor and take a pregnancy test, especially if you have missed two or more tablets.

2. Parenteral combined contraceptives

Plasters.
Vaginal ring.
Subcutaneous injection depot.

Non-hormonal birth control pills

The category of non-hormonal birth control pills refers to spermicides. Recently, these drugs have become quite recognized. Despite the fact that non-hormonal contraceptives are inserted into the vagina, they are comfortable and do not cause anxiety during sexual intercourse.

There is no discomfort noticeable when using a condom. These drugs are harmless and can be used without regular intervals. The disadvantage is the inconvenience of inserting the tablets before sexual intercourse.

Birth control pills – which one is better to choose?