July 25, 2011

False Accusations towards the birth control pill Yaz and Yasmin is leading towards a “pill scare”

Filed under: Yasmin,Yaz — Tags: birth control, birth control drugs, Birth Control Pill, Yasmin, Yaz — Kcondon @ 4:45 pm

Birth control has been a controversial issue in healthcare. “The pill” as it is commonly referred to as has been evolving over time causing extensive studies to be done. There has been birth control scares in the past causing fear and confusion which still continues to live on in the birth control world. False advertising and not fully disclosing the side effects of birth control pills has produced class action law suits in the past.

The most recent class action law suit dealing with birth control has been against Yaz and Yasmin which are considered to be”fourth-generation” oral contraceptives. Two studies done on Yaz and Yasmin suggested that it posed a higher risk of venous thromboembolism compared to other birth control pills in the market. Venous thromboembolism is rare condition on its own but is a life threatening condition defined as a blockage of an artery in the lungs by fat, air, blood clot, or tumor cells. Birth control pills increase the odds of getting a venous thromboembolism in women. The overall risk is one in every 2000 women who don’t take the pill, and nine to 10 per 10,000 for users. The Yaz birth control pill and Yasmin birth control pill has proven to be within the safe regulations.

However, the Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada has reported that the studies done are in fact false which means the pills carry the same risks as other birth control drugs on the market. The recent contradictory evidence and the subsequent media coverage has generated fear and confusion among its users. This has spawned a class action law suit which will further examine the drug. What doctors are worried about is the spread of confusion to all general oral contraceptives and drospirenone-containing oral contraceptives in particular. As principal author Dr. Robert Reid, a professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Queen’s University in Kingston says, “We were concerned that it was going to generate another pill scare like the ones we’ve seen in the past.”

A European surveillance study sponsored by Bayer Inc. supports what doctors have been saying along. The study showed, “Nearly 60,000 new users of various birth control pills found no difference in blood clot rates between Yasmin and Yaz and other birth control pills on the market”. Dr. Reid believes that the pill’s estrogen dose is the primary cause for blood clots. The first birth control pills contained 150 micrograms of estrogen while now most pills contain 35 micrograms or less. Reid mentions, “The trade-off is that, as you lower the dose of estrogen, you start to get more spotting. Women get fed up with it and they become non-compliant — they stop using the pill and then they run a risk of getting pregnant, which has a much higher risk of blood clot than any pill”. Gynecologists are now warning that the scare can result in unwanted pregnancies and cause a domino effect amongst all birth control pills.

Birth Control Buzz is a service company that provides birth control prices, types of birth control(prescription required), health administrative services, and birth control statistics predominantly to US patients seeking to purchase pharmaceuticals on-line. For more information, call 1-866-868-8850 or visit http://www.birthcontrolbuzz.com/.

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May 9, 2011

Brain growth due to birth control

Filed under: birth control pills — Tags: Birth Control Pill, brain growth, oral contraceptives — Janine @ 12:14 pm

brain A recent report by the journal Brain Research shows that the structure of a women’s brains can be effected by birth control pills. The study compared the brains of the women who were taking the pill as birth control with other women and men who were not on the Pill. The birth control acts like steroids being soaked up by the brain, increasing the amount of grey matter in the prefrontal cortex of the brain.

Enlarging the brain for academic purposes may be a good idea, but disrupting the organ’s natural functions could cause serious problems. Numerous studies have been undertaken to determine the effects of hormonal birth control pills on other parts of the body, however this is the first time the brain has been studied in depth and so far the study has shown that oral contraceptives results in an enlarged brain.

Having a larger brain does not equate to an increase of your IQ, so don’t bet on hoping to obtain a better grade on your next exam or to impress your boss at a conference.

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March 9, 2011

Natazia, a Birth Control Pill Gets FDA’s Okay

Filed under: Birth Control Pill — Tags: Birth Control Pill, natazia, new birth control pill — Janine @ 11:58 am

natazia birth control pill Natazia, the first four-phase oral contraceptive that contains two female hormones (estradiol valerate, progestin) has been approved by the FDA (The Food And Drug Administration). This oral contraceptive is the first four phased contraceptive, which means it delivers various doses of progestin and estrogen hormones, right through each 28 day treatment cycle.

Prior to being approved by the FDA, two studies showed that 1,867 women found Natazia to be very effective. Though this new contraceptive does have some side effects such as; irregular bleeding, breast tenderness, headaches, nausea, vomiting, weight gain, and acne, Natazia has been given much praise. However, there are still some warnings to the use of Natazia for example women older than 35 who smoke should not use Natazia and the serious risk of cardiovascular events for women using contraceptives.

Before getting prescribed onto Natazia, you should consider the following:

You are, or suspect that you are pregnant
Are breastfeeding and / or are less than 6 weeks postpartum
Are over the age of 35
Smoke
Have unexplained vaginal bleeding
Have active liver disease or a history of liver tumors
Have a history of heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure or some other condition that puts you at risk of a heart attack
Have diabetes
Have breast cancer, history of breast cancer or an abnormal growth in the breast
Have a history of blood clotting problems
Have cancer or history of cancer of the reproductive organs
Have migraines or focal neurologic symptoms

Side effects for Natazia

Common Side effects include:

Acne
Breast tenderness or enlargement
Changes in appetite
Changes in sexual interest
Changes in weight
Dizziness
Hair loss
Headache
Nausea
Stomach cramps or bloating
Unusual spotting or bleeding
Vomiting

Severe side effects include:

Severe allergic reactions (rash; hives; itching; difficulty breathing; tightness in the chest; swelling of the mouth, face, lips, or tongue)
Breast discharge
Breast discomfort, pain, or lumps
Calf or leg pain, swelling, or tenderness
Change in vaginal secretions
Chest, jaw, or left arm pain
Confusion
Coughing up blood
Dark-colored urine
Eye pressure or swelling
Fainting
Fluid retention (swelling of the fingers and ankles)
Light-colored bowel movements
Mental or mood changes (eg, new or worsening depression)
Missed menstrual period
New, persistent, or worsening headaches or migraines
Numbness of an arm or leg
One-sided weakness
Persistent or recurrent abnormal vaginal bleeding
Persistent or severe dizziness
Severe pain or tenderness in the stomach
Shortness of breath
Slurred speech
Sudden, severe headache or vomiting
Vaginal irritation or discharge
Vision loss or other vision changes (eg, double vision)
Yellowing of the skin or eyes

This product is available in through BirthControlBuzz. If your doctor has prescribed you to this birth control, buy Natazia here.

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February 10, 2011

Clear Concept: The Contraceptive Choices That Women Are Unaware Of

Filed under: birth control options — Tags: birth control, birth control benefits, birth control effects, birth control methods, birth control options, Birth Control Pill, birth control types, condoms, evra patch, hormonal contraceptive, IUD, NuvaRing — Janine @ 11:03 am

Birth Control has evolved over the past decade to rectify two significant problems: abnormal bleeding and missing pills. Instead of switching to the newly improved contraception available, women are nonetheless sticking to more common methods of birth control mainly including birth control pills, condoms and withdrawal. Women are uninformed of the many non-contraceptive benefits offered by the different types of birth control available today.

birth control options One example would be the advantages of the birth control pill, aside from contraception, the pill cuts the risk of ovarian and uterine cancers, relieves heavy bleeding and painful menstruation. Women are still wary to use hormonal methods of contraception due to exaggerated misinformation about the risks involved.

There are 4 different types of oral contraceptives:

Low dose – contraceptives that carry low levels of ethinyl estradiol and progestin.
Combined oral contraceptives – contraceptives that contain twenty to thirty micrograms of ethinyl estradiol with progestin.
Progestin drospirenone (DRSP) – used in Yaz and Yasmin, drospirenone has the same pharmacological effects of that of natural progesterone thus it also has slight diuretic properties. Yaz has 24/4 formulation meaning users take active pills for twenty four days and inactive pills for four days; during the four days menstruation occurs.
Extended cycle – contraceptives that allow women to opt out of menstruating, for either convenience or health reasons. With this option, women take active pills for over two cycles while omitting the hormone free interval which induces menstruation. The extended cycle has the same risks as that of the general 21/7 cycle.

The theoretical efficiency of oral contraception is not often lived up to in the real world due to regular missed pills. Studies show that up to forty percent of women often miss pills in any birth control regimen causing unwanted pregnancy and unscheduled bleeding. The transdermal patch and vaginal ring were created to minimize these problems. The patch (Evra, Ortho-Janssen) releases hormones into the skin every day for a week. The ring (Nuvaring, Merck) delivers hormones daily for one month. Both contraceptives are extremely effective and related to improved bleeding although there had been concerns about the dosage of estrogen continuously being delivered to the body. There are concerns regarding the Evra patch which dispatches more estrogen than the regular patch. There had also been warnings issued by the FDA and Health Protection Branch (HPB) about the increased risk of thrombosis associated with the patch. Hence the (vaginal ring is seen as the most competent in cycle control and consistent with the lowest rate of unscheduled bleeding. In spite of the favorable points, girls are not open to the way the ring is self administered (insertion into the vagina).

The intrauterine device continues to be overlooked by its poor image and is still unknown for its obliging efficacy and safety. Overshadowed by false ideas of increased pelvic inflammatory disease and infertility, patients and physicians are oblivious of the benefits of the intrauterine device.

Copper IUD – Can be used for thirty months and are believed to be 96% to 98% effective. Failure rates are about 1% and the rates of discontinuation are around 10% – 15% mostly due to increased bleeding and pain.
Mirena IUD – This IUD can be used up to five years with the highest efficacy rates of 99.8%.

The effectiveness of the use of the intrauterine device is comparable to that of surgical female sterilization. Aside from contraception, other advantages offered by the IUD include significant decrease in dysmenorrhea and bleeding. Insertion is a procedure done at a clinical office.

Evidently contraceptives are still being developed and new developments continue to be introduced to the general public. As the number of contraceptive options increase, the challenge lingers to increase awareness and reassure patients of the safety of these options.

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November 1, 2010

Contraceptive Alternatives-Hormonal Contraceptives–Implants

Filed under: contraceptives — Tags: birth control, birth control methods, birth control options, Birth Control Pill, contraceptives, hormonal contraceptive, implants — Candace @ 12:08 pm

Hormonal contraceptives are defined as the birth control methods that affect the endocrine system. This includes the pill, patch, vaginal ring, injection, implants, and plan B. Here we will be focusing on implants.

Implants have been approved by the FDA since 1990. The implant method consists of 6 silicone rubber rods which are put into the women’s upper arm. The implant works by releasing levonorgestrel each day. This method provides protection for 5 years. This method slowly loses its efficiency over time. When it first starts it is 99.8 percent effective and by the fifth year it is 98.9 percent effective. This method of contraceptive is beneficial to use because of the length of time it is effective. Once the device is removed you are immediately returned to a state of fertility. There is also no effect on breast milk production.

There are disadvantages of using this device as a contraceptive and it is always important to know all about the birth control before committing to one. Unfortunately to insert this device the patient must undergo minor surgery, and it is difficult to remove. You may experience menstrual irregularities from using this method of contraceptive. You may also suffer from headaches, mood changes, galactorrhea (excessive milk flow during lactation) and acne. If you experience any of these complications you should talk to your doctor: thrombophlebitis, genital bleeding, liver disease, liver tumors, suspected breast cancer, and hypertension. A few studies have shown that implants tend to have complications.

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October 5, 2010

Women More Likely to Use Birth Control if Partner Supports It

Filed under: birth control methods,birth control options,Birth Control Pill,birth control statistics,birth control types,condoms,contraception,contraceptive — Tags: birth control methods, birth control options, Birth Control Pill, contraceptives — Amanda @ 11:46 am

The “birth control” question can be confusing for partners, and birth control options are predominantly aimed towards women, putting the decision in their hands, however a new study suggests that women are twice as likely to use birth control if their partners are very much in favor of it.

The study was done in Los Angeles and Oklahoma City; lead by Marie Harvey – a professor of public health at Oregon state University. Funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the study looked at 435 couples that were between the ages of 18 and 25. The women in the couples were not pregnant and were not trying to become pregnant.

The men and women in the study said they both participated in deciding whether or not to use birth control. However, agreement between partners on whether they had discussed birth control was low. Harvey claims that this contradiction is typical in male and female relationships. To a woman, a conversation about birth control might include weighing in all birth control options and having a long detailed conversation. To a man, it could be as easy as asking a woman if she is on birth control.

Both partners were interviewed on contraception use and pregnancy motivation. It was found that even among women not trying to get pregnant, less than 60% said avoiding pregnancy was extremely important. Regardless of what the women had said about avoiding pregnancy, a large number of surveyed women were engaging in unprotected sex. This reflects mainly on the education that health care providers are giving to young women. “Providers need to probe more to understand women’s’ motivations and help them clarify their desires about whether or not to use contraception” Harvey said.

“We are trying to better understand the influence of partners…Public health research in the past has largely focused on the woman alone, but we know that a woman’s partner can be very influential. Yet, research rarely addresses the influence of sexual partners on protective behaviors.”

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September 24, 2010

How the Pill Changed Lives in the Past 50 Years

Filed under: birth control,Birth Control Pill — Tags: birth control, Birth Control Pill, fifty years, prevent pregnancy, the pill, women — Nicole @ 3:12 pm

birth control, happy birthday The birth control pill opened up a world of possibilities for women after it was approved by the FDA for public use in the 1960’s. Today, the pill is regarded as one of the most popular forms of contraception and used by millions of women worldwide. From its initial development, as a pill with the same promiscuous reputation as pornography to now, the pill has largely shaped the world image of women today. Whether you’re currently on the pill or not, there are several ways that the pill has impacted your life, as well as the lives of many women around you.

In addition to expanding the sexual horizons for both men and women alike, having the ability to delay having children has given women the full advantage of being able to increase their financial security. Women who choose to delay pregnancy until their careers get going have been shown to be more financially secure in their fifties than those who had children earlier. The work experience and education that is attained by women who avoid pregnancy until later in life often allows for the opportunity to get and keep better-paying positions in the workplace when they do choose to have children.

The formulation of the birth control pill has developed significantly since its release in 1961, and now provides hormonal benefits that counter-act many woman-specific health issues. The Pill works by manipulating the hormones in the body, and in many women works to alleviate the common symptoms associated with menstrual cycles. The pill has been proven to reduce the risk of ovarian cancer. Certain types of birth control pills, such as Yaz, utilize a hormone formulation that is advertised to clear up acne in addition to preventing pregnancy and reducing premenstrual symptoms.

In just fifty years, the pill has had what would be considered one of the greatest impacts on the image of women worldwide; in allowing women to decide when they want to have children, the pill has revolutionized the lives of millions of women. Let’s hope that its impact on the next fifty years proves to be just as positive for both men and women alike.

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September 9, 2010

The Pill to Increase Brain Capability

Filed under: Birth Control Pill — Tags: birth control benefits, Birth Control Pill, brain, pill — Tanveen @ 9:42 am

For so many years the pill has been used by millions of women to prevent pregnancy. It is known that the pill reduces the risk of certain diseases. However, in a recent study it was found that using birth control pills could actually have a beneficial effect on the brain as well. It was discovered that those that used it resulted in a three percent increase of brain size.

Dr. Jennifer Wu, an obstetrician at Lenox Hill Hospital (New York) states that MRIs of women using the pill display certain regions of the brain to be larger than in women who do not use the pill. The areas in the brain were found to be larger had to do with speech, memory, and communication.

Having a larger brain does not necessarily mean it is better. It is suggested though that the areas of the brain that grow in a women due to the pill will result in greater brain power. For example, a woman may find that her memory is improving.

There are many theories that explain how the pill could improve the capability of the brain, however, it is not known for sure and has not been proven. As a result of this study much more research is being done in regards to how hormones can affect the brain and how the pill could possibly increase brain size.

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August 25, 2010

The Pill is the Most Used Contraceptive

Filed under: birth control methods — Tags: birth control effects, birth control methods, Birth Control Pill, birth control types — Candace @ 1:16 pm

The pill is one of the safest and most effective methods of birth control. At a success rate of nearly 100 percent the pill is the most commonly used contraceptive in the world. The oral contraceptive has always been the most popular contraceptive for females due to its easy and painless use. From an interview of conducted on 7, 3536 women it was discovered that 99 percent of women use at least one type of contraceptive for intercourse. Condoms are the most popularly used form of contraceptive for women having intercourse for the first time. In this interview it was also found that of those females with a male partner, 93 percent of the men used a condom, 82 percent of the women used birth control pills, and 53 percent of couples used the withdrawal method.

The pill works by stopping the hormones that activate ovulation by providing an extra dose of estrogen. This prevents the release of an egg. Not only this, but it also thickens the cervical mucus, making the strenuous trek for sperm even harder. The pill must be taken daily for optimum results.

Because many women forget to take the pill on a daily basis, there have been recently created iPod and iPhone applications that help by providing a daily reminder in the form of an alarm. As well as this you can also try using an online calendar, a alarm set on your phone, a note on your desk, or other simple reminders to take the pill.

The pill has been the most commonly used form of contraceptive for 2 years now and will hopefully be continually used in the future despite new, more complex methods being discovered in the medical world.

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August 23, 2010

Women using Birth Control Pills have Increased Brain Function

Filed under: birth control,Birth Control Pill,birth control pills,birth control statistics,birth control types,contraceptive,the pill — Tags: Birth Control Pill, brain, contraceptives, estrogen, hormonal contraceptive, memory, progesterone — Amanda @ 2:14 pm

A recent study from Salzburg University in Austria has concluded that contraceptive pills can increase the areas of the brain associated with memory and social skills.

The research showed that contraceptives enhance the brain’s conversation area which leads to improved social skills. Gray matter area essential for memory also grows in size by about 3% with oral contraceptive use.

Scientists took images of the brains of 14 men and 28 women (some of which were using the pill). The women who were not using birth control pills were scanned several times over a one month period to tract their natural hormonal fluctuations. Areas of the brain in women taking the pill were larger than the brains of the women who were not. The growth in women only occurred in regions of the brain that were naturally larger than men to begin with – such as the areas involved in conversation. The pill had little effect on the areas of women’s brains that are more dominant in men, such as special skills and map reading.

The results were the same regardless of the type of birth control used or the length of time it had been prescribed for.

Studies have previously been conducted on the differences in brain structure between men and women, however this is the first time a study has looked at the impact of hormonal contraceptives on the brain.

It was concluded that the sex hormones in the pill have a significant effect on the brain. An increase in the volume of a brain area can actually improve the functions related to that area. The changes are more likely to affect the skills (such as memory and verbal skills) that are already more developed in women compared to men.

It is possible that the estrogen and progesterone in the pill can help strengthen the links between nerve cells in the brain. The brains size overall did not increase with the use of hormonal contraceptives, and it is not known whether the increased areas will return back to their original size if a woman stops using the pill.

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August 3, 2010

Hormonal Contraceptives are Less Effective in Overweight/Obese Women

Filed under: birth control options,birth control patch,birth control pills,birth control types,pregnancy prevention — Tags: Birth Control Pill, BMI, contraceptive, hormones, obesity, pregnancy, vaginal ring — Amanda @ 4:20 pm

A systematic review of results reported online has concluded that hormonal contraceptives (such as skin patches, vaginal rings, implants, pills, and injections) may not be as effective in overweight and obese women.

With obesity rates increasing worldwide every year, it is important that these findings be shared with the public.

The results from seven studies on 39,531 women on the success of hormonal contraceptives were examined and the results were varied among the different methods of birth control. Some methods such as the birth control pill and the patch were less effective at preventing pregnancy in the obese and overweight women who used a hormonal contraceptive.

Body mass index, or BMI, played a large role in the effectiveness of the birth control pill. Women with a BMI higher than 25 (classified as overweight), were more likely to get pregnant while using the pill than women with a BMI under 25.

Body weight, on the other hand, was the factor among women using the skin patch, vaginal ring, implant, or injection. The body weight due to fat on the body determined the pregnancy risk among women using contraception. Overweight and obese women using the skin patch, progestin implant, and vaginal ring were more likely to get pregnant than women of normal weight using these forms of contraception. Curiously enough, the effectiveness of the hormonal injection was not affected by BMI or body weight. One possible reason for the decreased effectiveness of the skin patch is simply that there is a higher density of fat cells in areas where the patch is to be placed. The fat cells in the way of the blood stream can absorb and store the hormones preventing them from reaching the blood stream.

The exact reason why overweight and obese women are at a greater risk of pregnancy while using hormonal contraceptives is unknown. Although several theories imply that it has something to do with specific biological factors.

Liver Enzymes – overweight women can experience an increased regulation of liver metabolism. These higher levels of enzymes can help break down the hormones in oral contraceptives. Heavier women have a greater circulating blood volume and body mass therefore there is more tissue for blood to circulate though. The chance that enzymes will break down the hormones in contraception is faster therefore the levels of circulating hormones can be decreased.

Hormone Storage – Hormones like estrogen and progestin that are found in birth control are stored in body fat. The more fat cells on a woman, the greater her chances of the hormones becoming stored in her fat rather than flowing into her bloodstream.

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July 29, 2010

Study Unveils Little Known Side Effect of Birth Control

Filed under: birth control,Birth Control Side Effects — Tags: birth control, birth control effects, Birth Control Pill — Nicole @ 3:43 pm

birth control side effects, birth control effects A recently conducted study has found that birth control can distort a woman’s ability to find the perfect mate. The attraction between a man and a woman is based on several factors other than physical appearance and personality, that are rooted in the biological processes of the human body. One of these basic biological processes is the human sense of smell’s perception of the other person’s body odor, specifically in the aromatic molecules of the body’s scent, which indicate genetic compatibility, through the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) genes.

Biologically, humans are programmed to select the best mates in order to provide a diverse set of genes for their offspring, to build a strong immune system, which allows them to be the fittest of their generation and promotes their prospects of survival. The greatest attraction that is indicated through body odor is in couples who have widely different MHC genes, which in turn contributes to more genetic compatibility, satisfaction and even faithfulness.

The findings of this study have proven that women taking birth control have a distorted sense of smell, causing attraction to men with similar aromatic molecules. This is because birth control pills create a hormonally pregnant state in a woman’s body, and in doing so shuts off their need for a man with opposite MHC genes, as biologically speaking, the woman is not in need of a mate. The misperception of a perfect mate for a woman could lead to a multitude of problems, as couples with similar MHC odors are often subjected to more fertility and fidelity problems throughout the course of a relationship, because once the woman stops taking the pill, both parties tend to perceive their partners in a different manner, and as a result, their relationship completely falls apart.

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April 22, 2010

The Risks of Combination Birth Control Pills

Filed under: acne,Birth Control Pill,contraception,Uncategorized,Yasmin,Yaz — Tags: acne, birth control benefits, Birth Control Pill, contraception, Yasmin, Yaz — Amanda @ 4:51 pm

There’s a lot of negativity associated with combination pills like Yaz and Yasmin where there really shouldn’t be. There are lawsuits all over TV and the internet that suggest combination birth control pills causes pancreatic cancer or organ failure. In reality, these lawsuits should not exist.

It is a patient’s job to ask questions and assess risks with their doctors before taking any medications. In addition, a new article from The Medical Letter – Volume 52, Issue 1334, 2010, reveals that although combination oral contraceptives increase the risk of developing venous thromboembolism (VTE), the risk is low. In fact, the risk of developing VTE while taking oral contraceptives is no different than the risk you have when you are pregnant. Pregnant women have a higher risk of developing VTE than women taking combination pills.

It is even debatable that the risk of developing VTE is worth the benefits that the pill provides. In addition to preventing pregnancy combination birth control pills can lower your risk of developing endometrial cancer, and reduce dysfunctional uterine bleeding, reduce acne, control menstrual periods, and reduce the symptoms of PMS. It is estimated that over 40,000 women in the United States will develop endometrial cancer this year, compared to the strongly age dependent VTE that will occur in 8-10 women in 10,000. All methods of birth control have their own set of risks and benefits. If you are concerned about your risks while taking birth control, don’t be hesitant to ask your doctor. You can’t rely on what you see on TV or hear from others when it comes to choosing the right form of contraceptive for you.

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