Answer to Question 1
Responses should consider:
- Oral contraceptives are also called birth control pills.
- Combination oral contraceptives contain both estrogen and progestin.
- The contraceptive effect on a woman taking these hormones is that her body's normal hormonal cycle is altered, and ovulation is prevented.
- Advantages include:
- They are very effective.
- There is no interruption of lovemaking.
- They are generally very safe.
- They often make menstrual cycles more regular and reduce or relieve symptoms of PMS and menstrual cramps.
- They may reduce the length of the menstrual period, and the amount of bleeding.
- Disadvantages include:
- They do not protect against STIs.
- It's easy to miss doses.
- Depending on where they are purchased, they can be relatively expensive.
- There is the possibility of spotting.
- There is the possibility of nausea.
- There are possible side effects; if experiencing any of the following, call a physician immediately: ACHES
A - abdominal pain
C - chest pain (severe) with a cough or shortness of breath
H - headache (severe), dizziness, weakness, numbness
E - eye problems, vision, loss, blurring, slurred speech
S - severe leg pain
- One type is the minipill.
- It is a progestin-only pill, and has approximately the same low failure rate as the combination (progestin and estrogen) pill.
- The main advantage is that it avoids some of the potentially negative side effects associated with estrogen.
- A disadvantage is that many of the health benefits associated with the estrogen in the combined pill are not present in the progestin-only pill.
- It interferes with ovulation.
- It also causes a thickening of the mucus secreted by the cervix, which sets up a barrier that is very difficult for sperm to penetrate.
- If some sperm do get through, the lining of the uterus that develops to support a fertilized egg is thinner in a woman taking the minipill, and is therefore less receptive to implantation and pregnancy.
- Another type is the extended-dosage contraceptive pill, such as Seasonale.
- These pills provide a daily dose of hormones for 84 consecutive days, during which a woman is protected against pregnancy and does not menstruate.
- After the 84 pills are taken, a woman then takes a placebo for 7 days, during which she will typically have her period.
- A woman will only have four menstrual periods a year.
- Research has shown no dangers from menstrual suppression.
- Advantages include:
- These can be recommended by doctors for women with menstruation-related health problems, and have been used by women themselves to delay or skip a period.
- Women who have especially painful period, heavy bleeding, cycle-related migraine headaches, or other serious menstruation-related conditions may benefit from reducing the annual number of periods.
- Disadvantages include:
- The most serious side effect was an increase in bleeding or spotting between periods.
- These extended-dosage contraceptive pills carry the same health risks as other combination pills with similar formulations.
Answer to Question 2
Answer: B
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