It’s like taking any other form of medication ““ you
need a physican’s prescription and an awareness of the risks
““ but more than 45 percent of American women from ages 20 to
24 are using them.
Oral contraceptives are the “most popular reversible
method of birth control in the U.S.,” according to the The
Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation’s “Contraceptives Use
and Methods in the U.S.” fact sheet.
As many young women decide whether to go on the pill, they must
balance the many risks of the medication with their own desire for
pregnancy prevention.
Oral contraceptives can prevent pregnancy in three different
ways: suppressing ovulation, changing the cervical mucous to impede
sperm migration and changing the lining in the uterus to make it
less susceptible to implantation.
The Food and Drug Administration cites that women who use a
combined pill ““ one that “suppresses ovulation by the
combined actions of the hormones estrogen and progestin”
““ should expect a failure rate of one to two for every 100
women, per year.
Many who prescribe the pill to their patients say that it is one
of the most effective forms of contraception, especially when used
in addition to other contraception.
Available by prescription, many physicians agree that a
doctor’s visit is a crucial first step.
“You need to see a physician in order to determine whether
you have factors that would make the pill a choice,” said Dr.
Steven Petak, vice president of the American Association of
Clinical Endocrinologists.
Certain women may be predisposed to various illnesses which
could be aggravated by the pill, Petak said, and a thorough
understanding of the risks is needed.
While many women use the pill as a means of contraception, it
can also offer other medical benefits, such as treatment for acne.
It can also be used as a treatment for polycystic ovarian syndrome,
Petak added.
There are both acute ““ short-term effects visible within
six months ““ and longterm side effects for women who decide
to use oral contraceptives, said Dr. Dorothy Martinez, an
endocrinologist at the UCLA Medical Center.