Home-spun or hard fact ?

Even though they are all taken orally, it's not true that all oral contraceptive pills are the same - there are over 20 brands available to suit the varied needs of different women. For example, some contraceptive pills contain only one type of hormone (progestogen-only pills, or the "mini pill") and others contain two types of hormones (combined oral contraceptives which couple a progestogen with an oestrogen). Different brands of combined oral contraceptives contain different oestrogens and progestogens and in different amounts. Such a wide variety is available to provide you with a range of options to try so you can find the one that suits you best. At your next contraceptive review, ask about the different types.

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The truth is that missing the first and last pills of the pack pose the greatest risk of getting pregnant. ⁵ Full instructions on how to deal with these situations are detailed in the patient leaflet included within the pill pack - something that many of us ignore when we take medicines. When was the last time you read your missed-pill guidelines?

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This is a serious myth; only barrier methods such as condoms, when used properly, will protect you against HIV and other sexually transmitted infections. ⁶ The oral contraceptive pill, when taken correctly, protects you against pregnancy but not against sexually transmitted infections (STIs). ⁷ If you are not familiar with your partner's sexual history then you may want to consider using both methods of protection.

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This can often be a concern for women taking The Pill but it shouldn't be. It doesn't matter how long you have been taking oral contraception, ⁵ most women's fertility will quickly return to its normal level, and some can become pregnant straight away in the absence of other forms of contraception.

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The combined oral contraceptive pill was designed to have the combination of oestrogen and progestogen to offer protection from pregnancy and shorter, lighter periods. It's completely false that oestrogen has been added to disguise the taste. Both the oestrogen and progestogen in combined oral contraceptives work in different but important ways to prevent eggs from being released; if there are no eggs to be fertilised, you can't become pregnant.

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The blood that you see during your period is the lining of the womb wall renewing itself, ⁸ not an aborted pregnancy. If you have been taking your contraceptive pill correctly, the hormones in contraceptive pills will prevent eggs from reaching maturity and being released into the womb (ovulation). ⁷ The eggs therefore never get a chance to become fertilised and this effectively prevents pregnancy - if there are no eggs to be fertilised, you can't become pregnant.

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When you consider that millions of energetic sperm are released upon ejaculation, and that any one of them can make their way to a woman's egg in minutes, it is hardly surprising to hear that washing after sex does not offer protection against pregnancy. ⁹ Whilst it is true that soap kills sperm, ¹⁰ you can never be sure you’ve killed them all and with sperm living for around five to seven days in a woman's body, ¹¹ surely you don't want to leave this to chance?

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This might have been true in the 1600s ¹² but it's definitely not true of today's modern condoms. Condoms are made to be disposable, and should therefore be treated as such. They are made of very thin, perishable material and CANNOT be re-used safely, ¹³ as washing and drying could cause the condom to tear. A new condom should be used each time you have sex, and then disposed of carefully.

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The pill is effective straight away if it is started on the first day of your menstrual cycle. Detailed instructions about how to use a specific contraceptive pill can be found in the leaflet inside the pack - it pays to do the right thing and read the instructions before you start your medicine so you aren't caught out.

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Throughout history there are examples of women using foodstuffs and other items as methods of contraception, but these are absolutely not reliable and definitely not scientifically proven to work. The myth that coca-cola could be used after sex to prevent pregnancy was so popular that a study was undertaken to bust this myth once and for all! ⁹ When the consequence is an unintended pregnancy, why take the risk? Make sure you get the facts from your healthcare professional or credible online sources like www.contraception.co.uk and choose a contraceptive option that's right for you.

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