ORAL CONTRACEPTIVES (THE PILL) FACT SHEET/CONSENT

Oral contraceptives are pills that are taken every day by mouth to prevent pregnancy. Most oral contraceptives contain the female sex hormones estrogen and progesterone. A few contain only progesterone. The additional hormones, taken every day in pill form, prevent the release of an egg from the woman's ovary. For every 100 women who use the pill, fewer than 5 will become pregnant during the first year.

HOW TO USE THEM

Start your pills on the Sunday after your period or abortion. If your period begins on a Sunday, start your pills that day. After 14 days of pill use, you are protected from pregnancy. Use a back-up method (such as foam and condoms or abstinence) for the first 14 days after starting birth control pills. Abortion patients should abstain from sex during this time.

Continue taking the pills - one each day, at the same time of day - until the package is empty. It is important to take all pills.

You should have a menstrual period sometime during the last 7 days of your pill pack. Continue taking the pills during this time. It is normal for your period to be shorter or lighter than before.

After taking all 28 pills, start a new pack the next day. You should never go a day without taking a pill. Whether or not you are still bleeding, go on to the next pack.

Spotting or light bleeding can occur between periods during the first 3 months of taking the pill. If the bleeding is heavy, call us. Do not stop taking the pills.

To avoid pregnancy, TAKE YOUR PILL EVERY DAY AT ABOUT THE SAME TIME. If you experience nausea, take your pill with food.

If you do forget to take your pill, you can lower your chance of becoming pregnant:

If you miss 1 pill - take it as soon as you remember - take your regular pill at the same time.
If you miss 2 pills in a row - take 2 pills as soon as you remember, and 2 pills the next day. Then continue taking 1 pill each day until the pack is finished. You may have some spotting or breakthrough bleeding.
If you miss 3 or more pills in a row - call us for instructions.

In the above instances, you will need to use a back-up method, such as condoms, for 7 days after missing any pills. You may not have a normal period this month, or you may have irregular spotting or bleeding, but that is expected. If you miss 2 periods in a row, call us for advice.

Using the pill does not protect against sexually transmitted infections and a bad infection could cause sterility. If you or your partner have other sexual partners, you should use latex condoms to help prevent infections, even though you are using the pill.

You should not use the pill if you have had, now have, or develop in the future:

blood clots in the veins or arteries
serious liver disease
heart attack or stroke
cancer of the breast, uterus or liver

You may experience the following advantages while on the pill:

less menstrual cramping/bleeding
predictable menstrual cycles
less iron deficiency
less acne
some protection from non-cancerous breast tumors & ovarian cysts
decreased risk of pelvic infections (PID)
fewer ectopic (tubal) pregnancies
some protection from ovarian and uterine lining cancers

Some women experience minor side effects from the pill. These will usually disappear within the first 3 months of use and are not serious problems. They are merely temporary changes that may occur while your body adjusts to the hormones. These may include:

acne
nausea and/or vomiting
breast tenderness
weight gain or loss
spotting between periods
mood changes

Some antibiotics, barbiturates and anticonvulsants can make the pill less effective in protecting against pregnancy. Always ask your doctor if any medication prescribed will interfere with the effectiveness of your pill. To insure that you are protected against pregnancy, use condoms as long as you are taking any medications, plus an additional 7 days.

The chances of developing serious health problems increase after age 35, and when certain other health risk factors are present, such as:

smoking more than 15 cigarettes a day
high blood pressure
high levels of blood cholesterol or fat
diabetes

Pill users have a slightly increased risk of developing certain serious medical problems. These include:

blood clots
stroke
heart attack
liver tumors

Call us at once if you should have any of the following:

chest pain that radiates to the neck or arm
unusual swelling or pain in the legs or arms
eye problems, blurred or double vision, loss of vision
yellowing of the skin or eyes
unusually heavy vaginal bleeding
absence of menstrual period
shortness of breath
sudden onset of severe headaches
severe depression
new breast lump
severe pain in abdomen

I have read this Fact Sheet and request that Oral Contraceptives be prescribed to me.

Signature_____________________________________ Date______________________