Among the many forms of contraceptive, the birth control pill is one of the most predominant in today’s society. It has even gained a nickname in pop culture, being dubbed, ‘the pill’. Most are familiar with the idea of the pill, a female takes the pill once a day, or as required depending on the specific brand, and hopefully conception will be avoided despite sexual intercourse. But how exactly does birth control work? What are some of its side effects? And what are some alternatives?
Birth control, officially known as the combined oral contraceptive pill, works by regulating hormones in the user, ideally preventing ovulation, and thereby avoiding conception. But how? There is a lot of biology, and chemistry, behind the mechanisms of birth control, but the general idea can be expressed quite simply: the pill confuses a woman’s body chemistry, making it forget to ovulate. By forgetting to ovulate, an egg is not present, and therefore, sperm will be unsuccessful in its quest for fertilization, preventing conception, and avoiding pregnancy. Should the pill fail to prevent ovulation, there is a secondary mechanism at work as well. The pill also alters the makeup of mucus within the cervix, which works to prevent sperm from reaching the uterus, even if an egg is present.
In performing its intended function, the pill may cause any number of related or unrelated side effects. Some of these side effects can be positive, such as a decrease in acne, or increase in breast size. Other side effects are negative, and potentially dangerous. Such side effects include: depression, nausea, and hypertension, among others. Continue reading ‘The Birth Control Pill’ »