MYTHS AND REALITIES OF ORAL CONTRACEPTIVE PILLS
Author : Dr. Mrs. Shyamali Roy, Sr. Gynaecologist
A wrong information travells faster than a truth. This is so true about medical facts that people are easily distracted from the benifits of the medical fact. Many untrue information circulate in general about oral contraceptive pills. Let us discuss the myths and the realities. Oral pills are pills taken to plan and restrict family size eg. MALA-D in India
Myth 1. Pills have side effects and cause general ill health.
Reality: Pill are in fact very effective in improving your health. Besides controlling and planning your happy family, the pill also brings about regular periods with controlled bleeding. This controlled bleeding helps in preventing anaemia and paleness. Oral pills also help in treating polycystic ovarian syndrome. Oral pills prevents the development of many cancers like cancer of uterus..ovary..bowel..and also breast. Since the fear of getting accidental pregnancy is not there , you are mentally relaxed and thus happy. The pill has absolutely no or very minor side effects.
Myth 2.The pills cause weight gain.
Reality: Oral pills are sometimes responsible for slight weight gain due to water retension and increase in breast size. This problem is now taken care of by promoting low dose hormones pills which have very minimal hormones, Moreover the weight gain due to water retension lasts only for a short while.
The other reason for weight gain is the general well being of the woman as she is assured that there will be no unplaned unwanted pregnancy.
The pill has aquired an undeserved reputation of causing weight gain.
Myth 3.The pill causes decrease in sex drive.
Reality: Some women do complain of irritabilty and decreased sexual desires. But majority have safisfactory sex due tothey dont have to worry about chance pregnancy. It is raher a turn on.
Myth 4. Pill causes cancer
Reality: It has been found that oral pills rather reduce certain cancers like ovarian and brst cancers . Cancers of the bowel are found to be less. It is especially beneficial for ovarian cancers.
There has been a rise in cervical cancers in the older pills usage.
Nowadays the pills are modified vth very low levels of hormones. These are confirmed to be non cancerous.
Myth 5. The pill will affect future pregnancy
Reality: Fertility returns within 2-4 months of stopping the pills. Even if the pills are taken during the period of early pregnancy, nothing untowards happens. THERE IS NO CHANCE OF MISSCARRAIGE OR MALFORMATIONS DUE TO THE PILLS. There will be no chance of birth defects. But when pregnancy is diagnosed, the pills should be stopped.
Myths 6. The pills cause heart attacks
Reality: Pill containing eostrogen combined vth progesterone do have a chance of causing thrombosis , heart attack or strokes. There has to be a familial or hereditary tendency too. But nothing to worry. If anyone has a strong familial incidence or high blood pressure, shift to progesterone only oral contraceptive may be taken. The presence of eostrogen affects the heart and its vessels.So EOSTROGEN FREE oral pills can be taken easily and without fear.
Myth 7. Oral pills can taken to have safe sex
Reality: Oral pills is safe cause it can protect against unwanted pregnancy. But oral pills cannot protect you from sexually transmitted diseases like aids or gonorrhoea or shypillis. you have to be sure to use the latex condoms to have safe sex.
Myth 8.The pill cannot be taken after 35 yrs of age
Reality: Combination pills are not prescribed after 35. Low dose oral pills can be taken or the only - progesterone pills can be safely taken till she reaches menopause.
Myth no9. The pills cannot be taken while brst feeding
Reality: Again combination pills are not prescribed to nursing mothers. Mother's who are breast feeding should be taking progesterone - only pills. These pills do not hamper the milk quality or the quantity.
Myth no10. The pills cannot be taken for long periods
Reality: The modern day pill can be taken till the women has attained menopause. There is no need to break the regularity of taking pills. There is a risk of unintended pregnancy. On the other hand she can njoy the various advantages of contraception without any known increased risks.
There are a few minor side affects in the combined types of oral contraceptives like
These are minor problems and can be controlled by symptomatic
medicines.
Let this information spread amongst all women and so women can successfully plan her family and home.She can now look at the reality with knowledge.