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Hormonal Birth Control

  • What is the patch? The patch is used to prevent pregnancy. It looks like a bandage and is put on the skin of your belly, rear end (buttocks), upper arm, or upper body (but not on a breast). The patch releases a regular dose of the hormones estrogen and progestin. These hormones prevent pregnancy in three ways...

  • Birth control—without it, pregnancy can happen. That's why you need birth control you can count on. There are lots of good options for birth control. Your best choices are those that you find easy to use—so you never go without it. And of course, no matter what kind of birth control you use, you always need a plan for...

  • Guides you through decision to use hormone therapy to treat endometriosis. Covers how endometriosis may affect you. Covers how hormone therapy works. Lists reasons for and against hormone therapy. Includes interactive tool to help you make your decision.

  • The skin (transdermal) patch is a highly effective method of birth control when it is used exactly as directed. The patch failure rate is the same as that of birth control pills. Talk to your doctor about what day to start using the patch. It is usually recommended that the first patch be placed on the first day of...

  • In some women, the estrogen in combination hormonal birth control methods increases the risk of a blood clot in a leg ( deep vein thrombosis, or DVT) or a blood clot in a lung ( pulmonary embolism, or PE). A blood clot in a leg vein can travel through the circulation system and cause pulmonary embolism. The risk for...

  • The following tables list some pros and cons of using hormonal birth control methods. Combination pills, skin patch, or vaginal ring (estrogen plus progestin) Pros Cons No interruption of foreplay or intercourse Reduced bleeding and cramping with periods, which lowers the risk of anemia Fewer or no...

  • Birth control methods have high rates of effectiveness if they are used consistently. Follow your health professional's instructions on what to do if you miss or skip your birth control pills. Some general guidelines are listed here. Combination (estrogen plus progestin) birth control pills Always read...

  • It is not unusual for women who are taking hormone pills for birth control to have very light periods or no bleeding at all. If you have not missed any pills, skip 1 period, yet have no other signs of early pregnancy, it is very unlikely that you are pregnant. Signs of early pregnancy include fatigue, breast...

  • Birth control pills come in packs. The most common type has 3 weeks of hormone pills. Some packs have sugar pills for the fourth week. During that fourth no-hormone week, you have your menstrual period. After the fourth week (28 days), you start a new pack. Some birth control pills are packaged so that you take...

  • What is the ring? The ring is used to prevent pregnancy. It's a soft plastic ring that you put into your vagina. It's also called the vaginal ring. The ring releases a regular dose of the hormones estrogen and progestin. These hormones prevent pregnancy in three ways. They thicken the mucus in the cervix. This...

  • Guides you through decision to use hormone therapy to treat endometriosis. Covers how endometriosis may affect you. Covers how hormone therapy works. Lists reasons for and against hormone therapy. Includes interactive tool to help you make your decision.

  • The vaginal ring is a highly effective method of birth control when it is used exactly as directed. The ring failure rate is the same as that of birth control pills. Talk to your doctor about what day to start using the ring. Usually, a ring is started during one of the first 5 days of the menstrual cycle. See a...

  • The following tables list some pros and cons of using hormonal birth control methods. Combination pills, skin patch, or vaginal ring (estrogen plus progestin) Pros Cons No interruption of foreplay or intercourse Reduced bleeding and cramping with periods, which lowers the risk of anemia Fewer or no...

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