Whats inside Birth Control Pills

May 17, 2008

A new national survey reveals women pay much more attention to whats inside their food and clothing than whats inside their birth control pills.

The survey was conducted in February 2005 by International Communications Research (ICR) of 400 women between the ages of 18 - 35 who are currently using, or have ever used, birth control pills.

As many as 74 percent of women know whats inside their food and 60 percent know whats inside their clothing, but only 15 percent of women know whats inside their birth control pills.

The need for women to gain a better understanding of whats inside birth control pills is underscored by the fact that 65 percent of the women surveyed have switched two or more times between different types of birth control pills, with just over one-third switching because of side effects.

Of the women who switched birth control pills, more than 71 percent are satisfied with their switch.

This clearly indicates that while all pills may be equally effective, women can have different experiences with different pills. This also means that more than one-quarter of these women are still searching for the right pill.

The adage its whats inside that counts can and should be applied to birth control pills, said Gloria Bachmann, M.D., Associate Dean for Womens Health, Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology, and Professor of Medicine at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey (UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School). There are differences between birth control pills based on the types and amounts of hormones they contain. One example of this is the progestin drospirenone, which has unique properties.

Since there are more than 40 brands of birth control pills to choose from today, its important for women to learn about their birth control pills ingredients, and what the differences may mean.

Education about birth control options had a positive impact on the life of Erin Callahan, a 31-year-old medical student in New York City.

I tried different birth control pills, but never found the one that was quite right for me, said Erin. I was feeling frustrated, so I talked to my doctor about the differences between birth control pills. My physician recommended Yasmin, so I decided to try it. Its made a big difference for me.

Yasmin contains drospirenone, which has unique antiandrogenic and antimineralocorticoid properties.

Its possible that drospirenone made the difference for Erin, noted Dr. Bachmann. My advice to women about birth control pills is talk to your doctor about what he or she prescribes. Together, you can determine which one is best suited for you.

Other interesting findings from the survey include:

* Seventy-three percent of women polled admit they have purchased one food item over another based on its ingredients and 60 percent have bought an item of clothing based on its materials.

* Although 82 percent admit to not knowing whats inside their birth control pills, 74 percent believe there are differences between birth control pills and 71 percent agree that certain ingredients may have certain advantages for them.

* More than three-fourths of women believe the specific type of progestin in their birth control pills is important, but only two percent know that drospirenone is a form of progestin.

It is very important to take a pill consistently every day to be effective, said Marie Foegh, M.D., DSc, Vice President, Medical Affairs FHC at Berlex Laboratories. At the time when a woman switches birth control pills, she may discontinue one brand before filling the new prescription. Left unprotected for even one day, she is vulnerable to an unintended pregnancy.

An estimated 20 percent of the 3.5 million annual unintended pregnancies in the U.S. are due to pill discontinuation and compliance difficulties, according to the Alan Guttmacher Institute.

OCs do not protect against HIV infection and other sexually transmitted diseases. The use of OCs is associated with increased risks of several serious side effects. Cigarette smoking increases the risk of serious cardiovascular side effects; women who take OCs are strongly advised not to smoke.

Drugs that may increase serum potassium when taken daily and long-term for chronic conditions include ACE inhibitors, angiotensin-ll receptor antagonists, potassium-sparing diuretics, heparin, aldosterone antagonists, and NSAIDs.