Birth Control Pill Types

Birth Control Pill Types

When taken correctly, the pill is highly effective at preventing pregnancy. But that phrase "when taken correctly" is key.

About 8% of women who take the pill become pregnant unintentionally each year. In most of those cases, the women forgot to take pills. Yet when used perfectly -- every day at the same time of day -- only 1 in 100 women have an unintended pregnancy during the first year of using the pill.

So yes, the pill works. But it's not ideal for women wanting a contraception method that they don't need to think about.
It's a very effective method for women who remember to take their pill each and every day at around the same.


Types of Pills

There are two main types of birth control pills: combination pills and progestin-only pills. Most pills are available in both a 21-day or a 28-day pack. They are often classified on the amount of estrogen and/or the amount and type of progestin.

Combination pills. These contain the hormones estrogen and progestin. Most birth control pills are combination pills. They're equally effective at preventing pregnancy -- again, when taken correctly. They may also have other benefits, including:
Shorter, lighter, more regular, and less painful periods
May reduce the severity or frequency of menstrual migraines
Can improve bleeding and pain associated with endometriosis and fibroids
May improve acne
Can lower risk of ovarian and uterine cancer
Can lower risk of pelvic inflammatory disease
May improve bone density in the years just before menopause

All combination pills slightly raise the risk of heart attacks, stroke, and blood clots that start in a leg vein but could travel to other parts of the body -- including the lungs, which could be fatal. That risk rises if you're a smoker older than 35.