In Part 3 we’re going to cover:
- Does it really matter when I take the pill?
- What do I do if I miss the pill?
- How long do I wait in between packs?
But first – just a tiny bit of the relevant theory. Actually, it’s a stretch to call it theory. Let’s call it background information.
Progesterone and Estrogen don’t just work together to build a stable uterine lining. At different stages of a woman’s natural cycle they also limit a woman’s ability to become pregnant. This may sound strange, but consider that the body doesn’t want a pregnancy to be concieved when there’s no lush uterine lining available for implantation. And if a pregnancy has successfully implanted, the body’s resources need to be focused on maintaining it, not producing more eggs! Fluctuations of Progesterone and Estrogen keep “all the ducks in a row.”
So, how does your birth control pill “maximize” on that contraceptive potential? That would depend on its…
Mechanism of Action
(i.e. What your pill is doing to prevent pregnancy)
Progesterone-only Pill (US minipill)
- Thickens cervical mucus to prevent passage of sperm (primary mechanism of contraception)
- Thins uterine lining to prevent implantation
- Prevents ovulation approximately 20-60% of the time (yes, that’s a wide range – more on this in the next post!)
Combination Pill
- Thickens cervical mucus and thins the unterine lining
- Prevents ovulation over 99% of the time (primary mechanism of contraception)
It’s important to note that the standard US minipill (active ingredient “northindrone”) works somewhat differently than the progesterone-only pill currently given in Israel (Cerazette, active ingredient “desogestrel”), and the new progesterone-only pill in the US called Slynd (active ingredient “drospirenone”). Cerazette and Slynd both prevent ovulation nearly as effectively as a combined oral contraceptive pill, so while they begin to work as contraception as quickly as any other progesterone-only pill, they’re also more dependable. (What a cliff-hanger! See the next post for more information.)
P'nima Wellness 