Oral Birth Control Research Paper

Title
According to the Center for Disease Control, 62% of females that are of reproductive age and are sexually active use some kind of contraceptive to protect themselves from unintended pregnancy (Jones, Mosher, and Daniels, p 1). Most women using contraceptives prefer oral contraceptives. This is evident because oral contraceptives hold the birth control market captive with 28.7 percent of women using contraceptives preferring this method (Jones, Mosher, and Daniels p 1). Since the late 1970s, the number of women who use oral contraceptives has been steadily increasing (Grimley an Lee 771). The Center for Disease Control attributes the increased usage of wide varieties of birth control for the teenage birth rate’s dramatic declining in the
They offer effective birth control that is affordable to most women, with packs ranging from 5-50 dollars, depending on the type (Palmer np). There are different types of birth control out there. Some regulate the menstrual cycle for a normal 28 days and some regulate the menstrual cycle to last for up to a full year, meaning the user would only experience one period a year. All brands have a different blend of the two main female hormones, estrogen and progestin, and some even add vitamins and minerals like iron to help manage the users’ menstrual symptoms like anemia. Some pills even change the amount of each hormone daily or weekly to more naturally simulate the body’s normal cycle, but all while providing protection from unwanted pregnancy and adding vitamins and minerals to the users’ daily routines. In addition to providing basic birth control protection and managing one’s menstrual cycle, the FDA has approved the use of combined oral contraceptives to help the women taking them with various other problems they may suffer from. These problems include acne, excessive menstrual blood loss, dysmenorrhea, and premenstrual syndrome (PMS) symptoms (Association of Reproductive Health Professionals np). In addition to these benefits, combined oral contraceptive also reduce the risk of ectopic pregnancies, endometrial and ovarian cancers, benign breast conditions, and pelvic inflammatory disease (Association of Reproductive Health Professionals np). The short list of side effects are as follows; possible spotting or breakthrough bleeding, increased PMS symptoms such as cramping, tender breasts, and bloating, and in extreme cases blood clotting (Association of Reproductive Health Professionals np). The chances of having these side effects drop staggeringly after the first few cycles (Association of Reproductive Health Professionals