Birth control pills
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How do birth control pills work?
Birth control pills, like Yasmin or Alesse, contain artificial estrogen and/or progestin that copy the hormones your body produces. Your body then reacts to these heightened levels of hormones in different ways, all of which can prevent pregnancy. The primary way the artificial hormones in birth control pills work is by supressing ovulation.
Oral contraceptives are thought to work right away as long as you start them on the first day of your period. However, it can take up to seven days before they become fully effective. Some doctors recommend that an additional form of birth control be used for the first month of taking the pill. If taken correctly on a daily basis, birth control pills are as much as 99% effective in preventing pregnancy, but there is still a 1% chance that you could get pregnant.
Missing a pill or taking a pill a few hours later than normal can decrease the effectiveness. Certain medications like antibiotics are also known to increase the chance of your birth control pills failing.
Types of Birth Control Pills
