What is in a birth control pill?

[Tarheel]

They manipulate hormones, right? Is it a steroid or a hormone or what? What type of dose is in each pill? What are the side effects to them (I've heard infertility if you take them too long?)

And no, I dont plan on taking any BC pills, I was just wondering how something in a little pill can stop a woman from getting pregnant. Surely it has to have some effects on the endocrine system.

 

[Tarheel]

So it makes girls more girly?

Is that why teenage girls are sometimes given the pill, not to stop babies but to make them mature faster?

 

[VeggieLifterChick]

While I'm no doctor, a slightly different explanation was told to me by one. BC pills work by shutting off a woman's own body's hormone production. The body realizes that its getting the hormones from the pill. So, you stop ovulating. Its actually possible to have lower levels of estrogen/progesterone in your body while on the pill than without it. They give it to teenagers who aren't interested in preventing pregnancy in order to regulate their menstrual cycles (PERIODS).

 

[VeggieLifterChick]

So, no the pill doesn't add hormones on top of what the body is already secreting. It adds hormones INSTEAD of the body secreting them.

 

[Ceebs]

So it makes girls more girly?

For better or for worse, yes. Usually worse.

 

[wateengedoe2]

No. If that worked they'd be loading the boys up with test.