Many heterosexual couples want to remain sexually active without worrying about having a baby. Although male contraception techniques exist, women are taking control of their bodies by seeking Las Vegas birth control options to keep them from getting pregnant. Fortunately, advancements in medicine have developed various birth control techniques, including the pill that interferes with hormonal balance, reducing pregnancy risk.
How you should be taking the pill to prevent pregnancy successfully
The best route to take the pill is oral. Patients taking contraceptive pills should strictly follow doctor guidelines to enhance predictability. However, patient awareness should include that although contraceptive pills could protect you from getting pregnant, there is a risk of sexual disease transmission. Therefore, ask your partner to wear a latex condom to protect them or yourself from getting an STD.
How does birth control work?
The best way to understand the mechanism of birth control in preventing pregnancy is to know how a woman’s reproductive system works. A woman’s reproductive system contains ovaries that store eggs. Unfertilized eggs mature and are released by the ovary into the fallopian tube, awaiting a sperm. If a woman does not have sex, ovulation occurs. Ovulation is the hardening of the egg’s shell, hindering sperm entry. During this time, uterine walls should have thickened. After ovulation, the walls are shed through the menstrual cycle. This process only occurs when a woman has not had unprotected sex.
If a woman engages in unprotected sexual intercourse with a man, the egg released by the ovary will undergo fertilization. The next step after fertilization is implantation, where the fertilized egg attaches itself to the uterus. The completion of these stages confirms a successful pregnancy.
How do birth control pills work?
Hormones are chemicals that stimulate body function. Reproductive hormones are essential for reproduction to occur. Birth control pills work as a hormonal contraceptive that affects your hormonal balance. Contraceptive pills contain synthetic estrogen and progesterone progestin. The influx of these hormones may affect your body’s reproductive function by preventing pregnancy in the following ways:
- Cervical mucus thickening: Sperms usually swim through cervical mucus on their way to meet with the ovum. Hormonal contraceptives affect the cervical mucus thickness making it difficult for sperms to reach the ovum.
- Altering uterine lining: After fertilization, the ova needs to attach itself to the uterus. The uterine walls have blood vessels that provide nutrition to the fetus throughout pregnancy. Hormonal contraceptive pills alter the uterine lining to prevent fertilized egg implantation and thus hinder pregnancy.
What else can you use to prevent pregnancy other than birth control pills?
For birth control pills to successfully prevent pregnancy, a patient must be committed to taking the medications. The strict nature of drug consumption makes most women seek other contraceptive options that are reliable without requiring a lot of discipline. Other hormonal contraceptive options that successfully prevent pregnancy include the patch, implant, and vaginal ring. Contact Darin Swainston, MD, FACOG, if you want a birth control option to prevent you from getting pregnant while you enjoy sexual encounters.