Contraception for Teenagers contraception method | Page 11
The Combined Pill
Advantages
Disadvantages
The combined pill is a daily pill
that a woman takes to prevent
ovulation. A menstrual cycle still
occurs during the pill-break. It
contains oestrogen and progesterone. Early variations of the pill go
back thousands of years with
women eating and drinking natural
remedies to try and prevent
pregnancy. However, it was in the
1950s that Gregory Pincus, Carl
Djerassi, John Rock and others
produced a chemical based oral
contraceptive. These were
approved by the authorities in
1961 and revolutionised the way
women could prevent pregnancy.
(Fpa.org.uk 2016)
• The pill is over 99% effective at preventing
pregnancy when taken every day
• You will still have periods but will not ovulate
• The pill is convenient and gives you control.
You can stop it at any time and fertility will
continue as normal
• The pill is available on prescription and is
easy to get from a GP. It is free.
• The pill is not effective if you miss
a pill or don't take them properly
• The pill does not prevent against
diseases
• The pill can have side effects
such as mood swings or weight gain
• There's a risk of cancer when
taking the pill however this risk is
very small
• The pill is not effective if you've
had sickness or diarrhoea
• The pill is not effective when
taken with certain medications
• You can't take the combined pill if
you're seriously overweight or if you
smoke
(NHS.uk 2016)