Planned Parenthood provides all kinds of birth controle, including the pill. You do not need an exam to get on a birth control pill but it is recomended. To schedual an appointment for an exam go to http://www.plannedparenthood.org/findCenterProcess.asp
Before you start taking the Pill, be sure you understand both the benefits and the possible problems of using combined oral contraceptives (COCs or "the Pill"). This explanation also lists the danger signs you should watch for.
You will get written information explaining the use, effectiveness, and medically recognized benefits and risks of the available birth control methods and devices and you will also get the FDA-approved information provided by the Pill manufacturer. Read these and ask questions about anything you do not understand.
Combined Oral Contraceptive pills contain the hormones estrogen and progestin, similar to hormones produced by a woman's body. They primarily work to prevent pregnancy by keeping eggs from being released by the ovaries. For every 100 women who use COCs, about 8 will get pregnant the first year.
You should not take the pill if you have reason to think you might be pregnant.
Benefits
In addition to its value as a method of birth control, most women will have the following benefits from using the Pill:
- predictable, regular menstrual cycles;
- decreased menstrual cramps and blood loss;
- less iron deficiency anemia;
- less acne;
- some protection from non-cancerous breast tumors and ovarian cysts;
- some protection from ovarian and uterine lining cancer;
- decreased risk of infection of the pelvis (PID);
- decreased risk of ectopic pregnancies;
- quick return to fertility after stopping the pill when pregnancy is desired.
There may be less protection from pregnancy when the Pill is taken with certain drugs, especially those used to control seizures. Talk to your clinician about what to do if you take any other medicine with the Pill. If you see a health care provider for any reason, tell them you are taking the Pill.
Risks
Pill users have a slightly greater chance than non-users of developing certain serious problems that may cause death in rare cases, including:
- blood clots in the legs that can travel to the lungs;
- stroke;
- heart attack;
- liver tumors
The chances of developing serious health problems increase with age over 35 years old, and when certain other health risk factors are present, such as:
- smoking more than 15 cigarettes a day;
- high blood pressure;
- high levels of blood cholesterol or fat;
- diabetes
Do not use the Pill if you have had, now have, or develop in the future:
- high risk for a heart attack as described in the above four bullets (you may have 1 or 2 of the risk factors and still use the Pill);
- blood clots in the veins or arteries;
- serious liver disease;
- a heart attack or certain types of stroke;
- cancer of the breast, uterus, or liver;
- migraine with aura;
- abnormal vaginal bleeding that has not been evaluated
Additional Warnings specifically about Birth Control Pills containing the progestin Desogestrel (Desogen®, Cyclessa®, Mircette®)
Studies have shown that there is a small increase in the risk of getting blood clots in the veins of the legs or lungs of women using pills containing desogestrel compared to birth control pills with other types of progestins. The risk remains small and is less than the risk of blood clots during pregnancy.
What are your chances of developing a blood clot compared to other women?
The chance of getting these blood clots if you are not using any hormonal birth control and are not pregnant is 4 per 100,000 women per year.
If you are taking birth control pills containing other progestin hormones (levonorgestrel or norethindrone), the chance of getting these blood clots is 10-15 in 100,000 women per year.
For a woman currently using a pill containing desogestrel, the chance of getting these blood clots would be 20-30 in 100,000 women per year.
On the other hand, for any woman who becomes pregnant, the chance of getting these blood clots is about 60 per 100,000 women per year.
What else increases your risk of developing a blood clot?
- inheriting one or more weaknesses in the blood clotting system that raise the chance of abnormal clotting;
- past history of having any kind of blood clots;
- smoking (the more you smoke, the higher the risk);
- increased weight, especially very overweight;
less activity, such as being in bed for long - periods of time after injury or surgery, or very long airplane flights;
- getting older (over age 35);
- taking any medications or street drugs that increase the tendency to clot
You may need special tests if you have certain medical conditions that could get worse while using the Pill. The risk to life and health is greater from pregnancy than from Pill use. Only for a woman age 35 or older who smokes more than 15 cigarettes per day or who has certain other medical conditions does the Pill carry a higher risk than pregnancy.
Short term side effects to the Pill may include:
- nausea, vomiting;
- breast tenderness;
- weight gain or loss;
- spotting between periods
Watch for the following Pill danger signals and report any to a clinician immediately:
- sharp or crushing chest pain or coughing blood;
- shortness of breath;
- unusual swelling or pain in the legs or arms;
sudden severe headaches; - Changes in the frequency, severity, or associated symptoms of your headache;
- eye problems such as blurred or double vision or loss of vision;
- severe pain in the stomach or abdomen;
- yellowing of the skin or eyes;
- severe depression;
- unusually heavy bleeding from the vagina;
- lump in your breast;
- no period after having a period every month
Using the Pill does not protect against sexually transmitted infections and a bad infection could cause sterility. If you or your partner have other sexual partners, use latex condoms to prevent infections, even though you are using the Pill.
Regular physical examinations for routine health care and for screening for sexually transmitted infections and for cancer are strongly recommended.
This document is for informational purposes only and is not intended to constitute medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
