TresSugar

Myths About the Pill: Last Five

DearSugar — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 08:00:00 -0700

I hope I set your mind at ease by debunking the first five myths about the pill yesterday. If you've been waiting to hear more, check the last five:

Women who smoke cannot use the pill: It's a fact that if a woman smokes cigarettes and uses the pill, she has a higher risk of having a stroke or developing blood clots. If she's 35 or older, the risk is even greater. A doctor will not prescribe regular dose combination pills, but a woman who smokes can take lower dose hormones or estrogen-free pills instead.
The most risky time to miss a pill is in the middle of the pack: If you happen to miss a pill, the most risky time is actually at the beginning or the end of the pack. That's because a woman needs to take seven consecutive pills in order to prevent ovulation and it's actually possible to miss the next seven days without the risk of pregnancy. But if a woman misses pills toward the end of the pack, she may not have enough hormones inside her to prevent ovulation the next month. The bottom line here though is to try your hardest not to miss any pills.

To see the rest, read more.

The only use for the pill is as contraception: While the number one reason women use the pill is for pregnancy prevention, many women take it for other reasons. There are pills that clear up acne, decrease PMS symptoms, prevent cramps, and lighten menstrual flows, which helps to lower the risk of anemia. The pill can also protect against ovarian cysts, pelvic inflammatory disease, osteoporosis, excess facial hair, and some types of migraines.
Women over 35 can't use the pill and teens need permission to get the pill: Age doesn't play into the equation, only health. If a woman has normal blood pressure and no increased risk of heart attack or stroke, then she can use the pill until she hits menopause. As for teens, they don't need permission from their parents to acquire the pill. If they choose to go on it, they only need to get a prescription from their doctor or a clinic.
The pill causes cancer: Actually, one-third of pill users are less likely to develop ovarian or uterine cancer as compared to non-pill users. The longer you use the pill, the more you are protected, and it's recommended to stay on the pill for at least five years to reap these benefits. Most experts agree that taking the pill does not cause any types of cancer, even breast cancer.

Source

Myths About the Pill: First Five

DearSugar — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 07:00:00 -0700

Just about every woman I know is on, or has been on, the pill. And even if it's not your preferred method of birth control, we can all agree on two things: it prevents us from getting pregnant, and it can regulate our periods. I'm sure you've heard other "facts" about the pill too, but not all of them are true. So here's a list of the top five myths about birth control pills:

The pill makes you gain weight: Some women may put on a few when taking the pill, but research shows that the pill isn't directly the cause. The estrogen contained in the pill can cause a bloated feeling, but not an actual weight gain. The progestin in the pill may increase a woman's appetite, so she'll eat more and gain weight, but it's because she's increasing her calorie consumption. The pill may also cause water retention, but switching to a lower dose pill often helps.
You should take a break from the pill once in a while: While it seems like a good idea to give your body a rest from the pill, it isn't necessary. Birth control pills are considered safe and they even offer you health benefits, such as a decreased risk of ovarian cancer if you've been on them for a while. In fact, occasional breaks can actually cause problems. Remember all the side effects you had when you first started the pill? Well, they're likely to show up again as soon as you go back on the pill - hardly sounds worth it to me.

To see the other three, read more.

The pill is not safe and it causes birth defects: Birth control pills are one of the most researched prescription drugs on the market. While it's true that there are health risks involved (just as there are with all drugs), overall, the pill is safe. There's no need to worry about it causing birth defects, even if you accidentally take the pill while being pregnant.
Long term pill use can affect fertility: The pill will prevent pregnancy while you're on it, but there is no connection between the pill affecting your future fertility. Once you do decide to stop taking the pill to have a baby, it may take your body some time to get back on its normal cycle. If a woman experiences problems conceiving after going off the pill, she may have always had a fertility problem but was unaware of it because she wasn't trying to get pregnant.
All birth control pills are basically the same: While it's true that all birth control pills have the same goal - to prevent pregnancy - there are hundreds of different kinds. Not only do they contain different combinations of medications, but some are estrogen-free, and some contain lower doses. Some will even prevent you from getting your period all together, and some can decrease PMS symptoms. A woman may have to try out a few types of pills in order to find the one that works best for her body.

Tune in tomorrow to see five more myths about the pill.

Source

Are Occasional Breaks From the Pill a Good Idea?

DearSugar — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 08:00:00 -0700

Since the pill has such a long list of benefits, it's no wonder so many of us have been on it for as long as we have. But with that said, I'm sure you've wondered if you should take a break to give your body a chance to be pill-free for a while. While it's popular to think that a break from the pill is beneficial for your body, it's actually not necessary. It's a myth that may have started a while back with older pills that contained high doses of hormones, but today's pills contain a much lower, safer amount. Some women also feel like they should stop the pill for a while to preserve their fertility, but there's no evidence that being on the pill has any effect on a woman's future ability to have a baby - it merely prevents pregnancy while a woman is on it.

There's more, so read more.

If you're contemplating taking a break only to go back on the pill shortly thereafter, you should know that professionals think it's healthier for your body to remain on the pill. The fluctuations in hormones can have a negative effect, both physically and emotionally. Plus, all the side effects you experienced when you first started the pill, which subsided after a few months, may show up again, so you'll have to deal with moodiness, depression, sore breasts, or yeast infections. The only reason a woman should take a break from her pill is if it's not agreeing with her body, or if she's trying to become pregnant.

Dear's Advice: Even though there are many health benefits associated with taking the pill, I completely understand that you may want to take a break because you don't like the idea of putting chemicals in your body. If that's the case, then you may want to consider going off the pill entirely, and ask your doctor about hormone-free choices like the diaphragm or the ParaGard.

Source

Will "The Pill" Make Me Fat?

DearSugar — Mon, 08 May 2006 05:24:08 -0700

Dear Sugar
I have been on Yasmin (birth control pill) for a couple of weeks due to an irregular period. I feel OK, but I am nervous about gaining weight. I've always been a skinny girl and I love it. Some say gaining weight is a myth, others say it's true! To put this controversy to rest, can you tell me ... which is it? And if so...what causes you to gain the weight? On The Pill Jill

Dear On The Pill Jill
It's true that birth control pills may cause you to gain weight, but like anything else, it's not a hard and fast rule for everybody. The hormones in "The Pill" are progestin and estrogen. Since your appetite may grow, the estrogen part of the pill is what makes you feel like you are bloated because your body is reacting to the excess of sodium. By reducing your salt intake and by choosing a pill with a low level of estrogen, you can help control bloating. You may even be one of the lucky few that experience weight loss. Generally women's weights fluctuate by a few pounds here and there so don't be super sensitive to it once you start the pill. Control your diet and continue to exercise regularly even at first when you may experience feeling achy ness or tenderness (very common symptoms when you begin taking birth control) to help control the weight. Also, just so you know - we are talking a few pounds of water weight at most, nothing excessive.

Sex Myth: Day 14

DearSugar — Wed, 09 Jan 2008 11:00:00 -0800

If you are not on hormonal birth control such as the NuvaRing or the Pill, it's generally believed that all women ovulate on day 14 of their menstrual cycle. So if you got your period on the first of the month, you would ovulate 14 days later, on day 15. This rule is not necessarily correct for all women, and is based on the assumption that a woman's body follows a perfect 28-day cycle. We know this is not true for all women, and since ovulation can be delayed due to many reasons, including stress, this myth of Day 14 can cause many unwanted pregnancies.

How do you know when you're ovulating? To find out read more.

When an egg is released from your ovary, you'll notice a change in your cervical mucus. It will be very wet and have a clear, egg-white look and consistency. Your body creates this so sperm can swim easier and reach your precious egg. You may also notice mild cramping, breast tenderness, bloating, and an increased sex drive. Here's another cool thing - if you take your temperature every morning as soon as you wake up, you'll see a slight increase in temperature when you ovulate. Your cervix also changes position. It rises and softens when you're ovulating, due to the increase of estrogen in your body.

Since your cycle can be shorter or longer than 28 days, you can ovulate anywhere from day 10 to 18 of your cycle. You should also know that the day you ovulate is not the only day you can get pregnant. Since sperm can live up to five days inside you, you're actually fertile for about 11 days of your cycle.

Dear's advice: If you're trying to avoid getting pregnant, use a consistent and effective form of birth control and don't follow the Day 14 rule.

Source