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BIRTH CONTROL PILLS
GENERAL
INFORMATION:
What
are they?
Birth
control pills (BCPs) are one of many ways to prevent pregnancy.
BCPs may also be called oral contraceptives (kon-truh-sep-tivs)
or "the pill." BCPs prevent ovulation and also cause
the lining of the uterus (womb) to be thinner. Ovulation (ah-vew-la-shun)
is when an ovary releases an egg to prepare to be fertilized
(joined) by a male sperm. A woman can get pregnant if she
does not use birth control and has sex during or near the
time of ovulation.
BCPs do not protect against diseases spread from having sex.
Use a latex condom (rubber) every time you have sex to keep
from getting an infection.
What are in birth control pills? BCPs are made of two
female hormones called estrogen (es-tro-jin) and progesterone
(pro-jes-ter-own). Hormones are special chemicals that your
body makes. The job of hormones is to control how different
parts of your body work. These two female hormones affect
a woman's monthly period.
How
do birth control pills work? The amount of estrogen and
progesterone in your body is raised when you take the pill.
This keeps an egg from being released from an ovary. The hormone
levels in your body will go down when you are finished taking
the package of pills. Your monthly period will then begin.
You must take a BCP every day to prevent pregnancy.
How
do I get birth control pills? Your caregiver needs to
do a checkup before you can start taking BCPs. You will have
your blood pressure checked. You will also have a breast and
pelvic ("internal") exam done by your caregiver.
Your caregiver will do a Pap test when doing the pelvic exam.
This is a test to make sure you do not have cancer of the
cervix (bottom part of the uterus). You will need to see your
caregiver for a checkup every year while using BCPs.
CARE
AGREEMENT:
You
have the right to help plan your care. To help with this plan,
you must learn about birth control pills. You can then discuss
your birth control options with your caregivers. You can work
with them to decide what birth control is best for you. You
always have the right to refuse to use birth control.
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