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Information on Birth Control Pills »
Birth control pills are also known as oral contraceptives (OCs) or, simply, “the pill.” They offer protection against pregnancy by blocking the union of sperm and egg, thereby preventing conception.
Oral contraceptives or birth control pills contain synthetic female hormones. They work largely by preventing the release of an egg from an ovary, or ovulation. If no egg is released, there can be no pregnancy.
Stopping ovulation is not the only way birth control pills can work. The progestin or synthetic progesterone in birth control pills also changes the physical and chemical environment of the female reproductive tract, making it hostile for sperm.
The active ingredients in birth control pills are synthetic versions of the female hormones estrogen and progesterone. Combination oral contraceptives are birth control...
Symptoms of oral contraceptive overdosage in adults and children may include nausea, vomiting, and drowsiness/fatigue; withdrawal bleeding may occur in females. There is no specific antidote and further treatment of overdose, if necessary, is directed to the symptoms.
The following noncontraceptive health benefits related to the use of oral contraceptives are supported by epidemiological studies which largely utilized oral-contraceptive formulations containing doses exceeding 0.035 mg of ethinyl estradiol or 0.05 mg of mestranol.
Increased menstrual cycle regularity
Decreased blood loss and decreased incidence of iron-deficiency anemia
Decreased incidence of dysmenorrhea
Decreased incidence of functional ovarian cysts
Decreased incidence of ectopic pregnancies
Decreased incidence of fibroadenomas and fibrocystic disease of the breast
Decreased incidence of acute pelvic inflammatory disease
Decreased incidence of endometrial cancer
Decreased incidence of ovarian cancer
Combination oral contraceptives should not be used in women with any of the following conditions:
Thrombophlebitis or thromboembolic disorders
A past history of deep-vein thrombophlebitis or thromboembolic disorders
Cerebral-vascular or coronary-artery disease (current or history)
Thrombogenic valvulopathies
Thrombogenic rhythm disorders
Major surgery with prolonged immobilization
Diabetes with vascular involvement
Headaches with focal neurological symptoms
Uncontrolled hypertension
Known or suspected carcinoma of the breast or personal history of breast cancer
Carcinoma of the endometrium or other known or suspected estrogen-dependent
neoplasiaUndiagnosed abnormal genital bleeding
Cholestatic jaundice of pregnancy or jaundice with prior pill use
Hepatic adenomas or carcinomas, or active liver disease, as long as liver function
has not returned to normal
Known or suspected pregnancy
Hypersensitivity to any of the components of Lo/Ovral
Last reviewed on RxList: 5/21/2008
This monograph has been modified to include the generic and brand name in many instances.
Report Problems to the Food and Drug Administration
You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit the FDA MedWatch website or call 1-800-FDA-1088.
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