World Contraception Day: Understanding Oral Contraceptives

September 26th Marks World Contraception Day

Every year, September 26th is ‘World Contraception Day’. It was established in 2007 with the purpose of preventing unwanted pregnancies. Among the contraceptive methods, oral contraceptive pills are a representative method of female contraception. If taken according to the prescribed method, they can achieve a high contraceptive effect of over 99%.

However, because of the nature of hormonal preparations, many consumers are reluctant to take them or feel vague fear. Side effects of oral contraceptives include irregular bleeding, breast tenderness, nausea, vomiting, edema, and acne, but they can be alleviated by adjusting the ingredients or content of the contraceptive through consultation with a doctor or pharmacist.

The basic method of taking birth control pills is to take one pill a day at a set time for 21 days starting from the first day of menstruation. During the 7-day break, menstruation occurs, usually within 2-3 days after the last pill. After the break, you can open a new pill and start taking it regardless of the start of menstruation.

Oral contraceptives are safe for healthy, young women, but there are women who should not take them. The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety prohibits women over 35 years of age from taking birth control pills because the estrogen in the pill increases the risk of blood clots. Therefore, if you want to take birth control pills, it is recommended that you quit smoking and find out in advance whether you have cardiovascular risks.

On the other hand, the popular belief that ‘if you take oral contraceptives for a long time, you won’t get pregnant’ is not true. Research has shown that taking contraceptives for more than 5 years does not affect the ability to get pregnant. It also does not increase the risk of birth defects or miscarriage, so you can take them with confidence.