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Combination birth control pills, or the pill for brusque, are oral contraceptives that prevent pregnancy.

If yous're considering your nascency control options, the pill is one of the near mutual and nearly effective. According to Planned Parenthood, birth command pills are 99 percent effective when taken perfectly.

Birth control pill prescriptions are relatively easy to become and are typically covered by health insurance. Many online birth control services will evangelize the pill straight to your doorstep each month.

The combination pill is a type of nascence control pill that contains both estrogen and progestin, which are two hormones used to prevent pregnancy.

Many brands of combination pills are bachelor. Experts like the National Health Service (NHS) usually divide them into iii categories, including:

  • Monophasic 21-twenty-four hours pills. This is the most common blazon of combination pill, which provides the same corporeality of hormones in each pill. It is usually taken daily for 21 days, followed by 7 days without taking any pills.
  • Phasic 21-day pills. This blazon has ii to three dissimilar colored pills per pack, each of which contains varying levels of hormones and must be taken in club. Like monophasic pills, phasic pills should be taken daily for 21 days, followed by vii days without taking any pills.
  • Every day pills. This type of birth command contains 21 agile pills and 7 placebo pills per pack. Each pill should be taken in social club in one case per 24-hour interval, without any breaks between packs.

The combination pill can be used by people who want to prevent pregnancy.

It may also be prescribed to care for other conditions like acne, unwanted hair growth, endometriosis, and polycystic ovary syndrome.

However, combination birth command pills may not be suitable for people who take whatsoever of the following health conditions:

  • breast cancer
  • high blood pressure or vascular disease
  • heart illness
  • migraine headaches with aura
  • certain liver diseases

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the combination pill is also not recommended for people over age 35 who smoke or those who may be pregnant.

If taken perfectly, the combination pill is 99 percent effective at preventing pregnancy, according to Planned Parenthood.

Even so, many people forget to accept pills at the right time or may occasionally miss a dose. Because of this, it's estimated that the combination pill is around 91 percent effective for most users.

This means that for every 100 people who use the combination pill, approximately 9 will go meaning each year.

The pill contains a combination of constructed hormones — that'due south why information technology'south called the combination pill. These hormones piece of work in two main ways.

First, the pill stops the ovaries from releasing an egg each month, a procedure known as ovulation. The pill also thins the lining of the uterus and thickens cervical mucus, both of which work to make implantation less likely.

Estrogen and progestin are the two main hormones in the combination pill. The estrogen in birth control pills may result in improve control over your flow, though it'due south also associated with some risks.

"Taking estrogen continuously throughout the active pills suppresses the ovarian formation of a mature follicle (the sac within which the egg grows), thereby suppressing ovulation," explains Rashmi Kudesia, MD, a fertility doctor in Houston.

"The hormonal components of combination pills as well keep the cervical mucus unfavorable — reducing sperm entry into the uterus and fallopian tube — and keep the uterine lining thin — reducing chances of implantation."

The amount of estrogen in combination pills may vary. Low dose pills are bachelor and quite common.

Nascency control pills are taken orally every twenty-four hour period. For maximum effectiveness, take the pill around the aforementioned time every 24-hour interval.

There is no specific time of twenty-four hours that you have to take your pill. Withal, taking the pill in the evening or with a repast may decrease nausea.

As long as you meet the medical eligibility, there is no limit on how long you lot tin be on the pill. If you want to become pregnant, you can stop taking the pill.

The take a chance of becoming pregnant while taking the pill is low. Planned Parenthood estimates that 9 percent of birth command pill users get significant. When taken perfectly, the chance of pregnancy while on the pill is 1 percent or less.

Aside from pregnancy, there are other combination pill side effects and risks to consider.

"The about common side effect… is irregular bleeding in the first few months of use," says Katharine White, Doctor, a gynecologist and associate professor of OB-GYN at the Boston University School of Medicine.

"Your haemorrhage patterns will regulate with time — but if irregular bleeding doesn't improve past your quaternary pack, talk with your doctor almost changing which pill you're taking. A different combination of hormones may work better for y'all."

If you lot want to switch nascence control pills, chat with a medical professional person about how to switch without having gaps in your birth control program.

Co-ordinate to White, the risks of the combination pill are much lower than the risks of pregnancy. Pregnancy risks include claret clots, high claret pressure, heart assault, stroke, and liver tumors.

The pill may exist correct for you if yous menstruate, run into the medical eligibility, and tin can remember to take the pill on a daily basis.

"Anyone who meets medical eligibility is a good candidate," Kudesia explains. "Those who may non exist skillful candidates would include those with a personal or family history of claret clots, or those with high blood pressure, migraines with aureola, or who use tobacco."

Kudesia says your physician can review your eligibility in more particular, simply near people who menstruate are eligible for combination pills.

The best way to determine if the pill is right for you is to discuss information technology with your doctor or healthcare professional.

Many other birth command options are bachelor also the combination pill.

Here is a closer look at how the combination pill compares with a few other methods of birth control:

The combination pill requires a prescription.

If you don't have health insurance or don't want to make an in-function engagement, these online birth control services brand it easy to get combination pills delivered to you.

Nurx

  • Cost: $0 with insurance or $xv per pack out of pocket.
  • Insurance accepted : Aye.
  • Physician back up included: Yes. A licensed medical professional will review your wellness history and write a prescription if medically advisable.
  • Discreet packaging: Yes.
  • Other notes: Automated refills and renewals are available, so in that location are no gaps in nascency control. Other services are offered, including acne treatment, retinoid foam, and sexually transmitted infection (STI) testing.

Pandia Health

  • Price: $0 with insurance or $15 out of pocket.
  • Insurance accepted: Yes.
  • Physician back up included: Yep. A doctor will review your health grade and determine if they're going to write a prescription.
  • Unimposing packaging: Aye.
  • Other notes: Gratis shipping is available to all 50 states.

Favor

  • Price: $0 with insurance or $15 per pack out of pocket.
  • Insurance accepted: Yes.
  • Medico support included: Yeah. A dr. will review your consultation and write a prescription accordingly.
  • Unimposing packaging: Yes.
  • Other notes: Free goodies come up in every delivery.

SimpleHealth

  • Price: $0 with insurance or $9 to $x.66 per pack out of pocket.
  • Insurance accepted: Aye.
  • Physician support included: Yes. A medico will review your consultation to make up one's mind your prescription.
  • Unimposing packaging: Yes.
  • Other notes: Student discounts are offered.

Do combination pills work right away?

You can start taking combination pills at whatsoever time if yous meet medical criteria.

Co-ordinate to Planned Parenthood, starting within 5 days of your period offers firsthand protection. If y'all start at whatever other time in your menstrual bike, the pill is effective after 7 days of daily employ.

What brands are combination pills?

Some combination pill brands include:

  • Alesse
  • Apri
  • Aranelle
  • Aviane
  • Azurette
  • Beyaz
  • Caziant
  • Desogen
  • Enpresse
  • Estrostep Atomic number 26
  • Gianvi
  • Kariva
  • Lessina
  • Levlite
  • Levora
  • Loestrin
  • Lybrel
  • Mircette
  • Natazia
  • Nordette
  • Ocella
  • Depression-Ogestrel
  • Lo Ovral
  • Ortho-Novum
  • Ortho Tri-Cyclen
  • Previfem
  • Reclipsen
  • Safyral
  • Seasonale
  • Seasonique
  • TriNessa
  • Velivet
  • Yasmin
  • Yaz

Practice you lot go your period on a combination pill?

Skipping your period is only possible with combination birth control pills. You can skip your period past continually taking the nativity control pills and skipping the hormone-free placebo pills.

Which combination pill is best?

In addition to preventing pregnancy, some combination birth command pills may also offer other benefits for issues like acne or painful period cramps.

Consider which secondary benefits are most important to you lot, along with other factors like the toll and potential side effects, to discover an option that fits your needs and preferences.

Co-ordinate to the CDC, nascence control pills are the almost common form of female contraception after sterilization. Of the birth control options out there, the combination pill is an effective one.

Online birth control services are accessible and affordable resources for people interested in the pill.

Withal, birth control is not one-size-fits-all. Many people who menstruate are groovy candidates for the pill, only there are risks, side effects, and contraindications. To determine if the combination pill is correct for yous, talk with a physician.

Lacey Bourassa is a health, wellness, and beauty author based in Southern California. She holds a BA in English language. Her piece of work has appeared in digital publications like Livestrong, Verywell, Business concern Insider, Eat This Not That, and others. When she's not writing, Lacey is likely pursuing her other interests: pare care, plant-based cooking, pilates, and traveling. You lot can proceed upwardly with her by visiting her website or her blog .