Combined oral contraceptive pill
The combined oral contraceptive pill (COCP), often referred to as the birth control pill or colloquially as "the pill", is a type of birth control that is designed to be taken orally by women. It is the oral form of combined hormonal contraception. The pill contains two important hormones: a progestin (a synthetic form of the hormone progestogen/progesterone) and estrogen (usually ethinylestradiol or 17β estradiol). When taken correctly, it alters the menstrual cycle to eliminate ovulation and prevent pregnancy.
| Combined oral contraceptive pill | |
|---|---|
| Background | |
| Type | Hormonal |
| First use | 1960 (United States) |
| Failure rates (first year) | |
| Perfect use | 0.3% |
| Typical use | 9% |
| Usage | |
| Duration effect | 1–4 days |
| Reversibility | Yes |
| User reminders | Taken within same 24-hour window each day |
| Clinic review | 6 months |
| Advantages and disadvantages | |
| STI protection | No |
| Periods | Regulated, and often lighter and less painful |
| Weight | No proven effect |
| Benefits | Evidence for reduced mortality risk and reduced death rates in all cancers. Possible reduced ovarian and endometrial cancer risks.
May treat acne, PCOS, PMDD, endometriosis |
| Risks | Possible small increase in some cancers. Small reversible increase in DVTs; stroke, cardiovascular disease |
| Medical notes | |
| Affected by the antibiotic rifampicin, the herb Hypericum (St. Johns Wort) and some anti-epileptics, also vomiting or diarrhea. Caution if history of migraines. | |
COCPs were first approved for contraceptive use in the United States in 1960, and remain a very popular form of birth control. They are used by more than 100 million women worldwide including about 9 million women in the United States. From 2015 to 2017, 12.6% of women aged 15–49 in the US reported using COCPs, making it the second most common method of contraception in this age range (female sterilization is the most common method). Use of COCPs, however, varies widely by country, age, education, and marital status. For example, one third of women aged 16–49 in the United Kingdom use either the combined pill or progestogen-only pill (POP), compared with less than 3% of women in Japan (as of 1950–2014).
Combined oral contraceptives are on the World Health Organization's List of Essential Medicines. The pill was a catalyst for the sexual revolution.