By: Tiara Fulton
“The pill” is relatively small which is easy to swallow and
is to be taken every day at the same time (or around the same time). This form
of birth control, also known as oral contraceptive, is a method used most to prevent
pregnancy. A survey was conducted
between 2006 and 2008, the results from that survey showed that more than 10
million women use a form of oral contraception. [i]
Oral contraception has been around for more than fifty years. In 1957 the Food
and Drug (FDA) administration approved the drug to be prescribed only for
severe menstruation problems. It wasn’t until 1960 that the pill could be used
for contraception. [ii]
The pill works by releasing hormones every day that restrict
your ovaries from releasing eggs and also thickens the cervical mucous. Like
any other drug, there are many pros and many cons to taking the pill. Do the
pros outweigh the cons? That is the question. After researching I was kind of surprised
by what I found, it is definitely important to read the fine print ladies. By
taking birth control women put themselves at a high risk of having a stroke,
blood clots, and heart attacks. It could also increase serum lipids which
contribute to the elevation of high cholesterol. It could also cause liver and
kidney disfunction; and also some forms of cancer or tumors. As if all that
wasn’t enough, birth control can cause nausea, weight gain, vomiting, and
spotting. There is also people like myself who have difficulty remembering to
take the pill every day. [iii]
Despite the risks of the pill, there are also some great advantages of taking
it. The pill is ninety-nine percent effective, if taken perfectly. By perfectly
I mean, every day, at the same time of day, with no skips or misses. It also
helps to regulate women’s menstrual cycle which is amazing for those who have
heavy or irregular periods. It can also help to weaken the cramps that are a
symptom of menstruation. It can even help to clear up acne problems.
Being that I am on the pill myself, I love my
birth control. It has helped me tremendously. Now that I know all of the risk
of birth control, it does make me question if I am doing the right thing for my
body. They are just risk, which means to me that it’s a small chance of it
happening but what if I end up apart of that small percentage? Practicing abstinence
is the only real solution I suppose.
[i] Broder,
Joanna. WebMD, "The Pill Is Most Popular Contraception Method." Last
modified May 26, 2010. Accessed January 25, 2014.
http://www.webmd.com/sex/birth-control/news/20100526/the-pill-is-most-popular-contraception-method.
[ii] Alexandra,
Nikolchev. PBS, "A Brief History of the Birth Control Pill." Last
modified May 07, 2010. Accessed January 25, 2014.
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/need-to-know/health/a-brief-history-of-the-birth-control-pill/480/.
[iii] Bedsider,
"Birth Control Method: The Pill." Accessed January 25, 2014.
http://bedsider.org/methods/the_pill
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