Birth control pill – the first thing you should know is that there are many types of pill available. Saying that a girl is simply on ‘the pill’ doesn’t really narrow it down. So this article is designed to tell you what you need to know about hormonal contraception.

The birth control pill idea first became mainstream in the later part of the 1960s. As ‘free love’ became popular in this period, the advent of female controlled contraception which went beyond condoms was new. The original pill created has now expanded to a range of pill types to suit the different users and their requirements.

The concept of it is simple: a woman takes a pill every day to stop her becoming pregnant. This works by altering the conditions inside her body to prevent ovulation and fertilisation taking place. Whereas barrier contraception methods such as male condoms, female condoms and diaphragms prevent sperm from entering the womb, the pill does not. The chosen pill typically releases hormones which interrupt the natural menstrual cycle, thereby stopping an egg being matured which can’t then result in a pregnancy.

The main types of birth control pill are:

The combination pill: this contains both oestrogen and progesterone which are the two main female hormones

“Mini pill” a.k.a the progesterone only pill: there are two variants of this, one which can be taken within a 3 hour time frame every day and one which can be taken within a 12 hour time frame every day.

Depending on the individual, a GP will prescribe the pill variety most suited to the woman. There are up to 28 different versions available, all with a distinct brand name. Factors taken into consideration will include managing side effects of the pill and deciding whether the woman wants to take a continuous pill without a break or to take a break which will result in a bleed.

Side effects

The side effects of the birth control pill will vary from woman to woman but some of the symptoms experienced include:

interruption to bleeding, whether skipping periods altogether or becoming more irregular

breast tenderness or increased size

fluctuations in weight

mood swings

headaches

nausea

increase or decrease in libido (sex drive)

What you need to know about birth control pill

The key points you need to know about the ‘pill’ are as follows:

1. It doesn’t protect you against STIs

As with all hormonal contraception, there is no protection against STIs unless a barrier method such as condoms or a diaphragm is used. The pill cannot stop you from contracting any kind of STI and only protects against pregnancy 99% of the time. With this in mind, it is advisable to use condoms as safe sex is your best way of avoiding any unwanted surprises.

For more information, read our article: Condoms: why you shouldn’t be reluctant to use them

2. Don’t forget to take the pill

The pill has to be taken every day in order for it to be effective. If a woman forgets to take the pill or takes it at the wrong time, alternative methods of contraception should be used as there may be a chance that she could fall pregnant. So if your girlfriend hasn’t taken her pill as she should, it’s best to either avoid having sex or to use a condom to prevent the risk.

3. What makes it ineffective?

Some medications such as antibiotics can interfere with the effectiveness of the pill. When you’re taking antibiotics or any new medication, check with your GP or pharmacist about whether it will affect your contraception. If the medication isn’t compatible with the pill, you should use extra contraception such as condoms during this time.

4. Sickness and diarrhoea

If your girlfriend is sick or has diarrhoea, there’s a chance that she won’t be protected against pregnancy. If you have unprotected sex with someone on the pill who is sick, it is best to seek emergency contraception. The advice given on the instructions leaflet will provide more information also.

5. Pregnancy

Even if a woman takes the birth control pill correctly, there is still a small chance that she may fall pregnant. Therefore when you decide to begin having unprotected sex with someone, it is sensible to discuss what you would do if she did fall pregnant. Being responsible in your decisions on contraception is a key step towards having a healthy attitude about sex.

Alternatives

If you and your girlfriend decide that the pill isn’t the right contraceptive for you, there are other options. Some of these include: