Birth control: the pill

Pregnancy prevention is the first use of the birth control pill that comes to mind. However, like many other medications, it has a variety of additional benefits and side effects.

According to school nurse Deirdre London, the pill contains a high concentration of hormones.

Women need a prescription to acquire the pill. Women who would like to go on the birth control pill can visit a Planned Parenthood, a health clinic or private health care provider.

Women take the pill for reasons other than pregnancy prevention, according to London.

“Young girls take it for regulating their menstrual cycle. Sometimes that works very well with students, and that’s the reason that they take it,” said London.

One junior began taking the pill to help control her menstrual cycle, making it lighter and shorter.

“I have my period, but it’s a set number of days. It’s good because I know when it’s coming,” said the junior.

In addition to controlling the menstrual cycle, another benefit of the pill is that it helps prevent and control acne.

“It does help with acne because it is hormones. Hormones are natural; they’re associated with acne and any kind of facial oils,” said London.

However, doctors are not inclined to prescribe the pill solely to control an acne problem, according to London.

“It would have to be a pretty severe case or pretty much a problem that other medication didn’t work for acne before they put you on the birth control pill,” said London, “except, if a student is sexually active and has acne issues. Then a doctor might suggest that they go on the birth control pill. For only acne reasons, it’s not the first drug of choice.”

But in the case of another junior, her doctor initially prescribed her the pill to help control her acne.

“I was originally put on it for acne control because it regulates your hormones. It became nice to have as actual birth control,” she said.
Despite the benefits, London said that the birth control pill is not for everyone because of the possible side effects, including nausea, vomiting and slight increase in the risk of heart attacks and blood clots, according to Planned Parenthood.

“It is medication. It is a pill form. There are always side effects with one or another; you have to weigh that out,” said London.

(Read about sex ed possibly getting extended on page 4)