Medication taken orally usually works best, though there may be alternative forms of delivery available that could reduce unwanted side effects and start working more rapidly – like liquid medicines being taken sublingually where their components dissolve under your tongue before being absorbed by the bloodstream.
Minipill
The mini pill (commonly referred to as the progestogen-only pill) contains only progestin and no estrogen, and therefore works to prevent pregnancy in multiple ways, including thickening cervical mucus to block sperm from reaching an egg and stopping ovulation. Furthermore, this medicine causes its lining to thin more readily, making implantation harder.
Comparable to combined hormone pills, progestogen-only mini pills tend to have lower pregnancy rates; however, their efficacy varies depending on who uses them and when. According to clinical trials involving women taking their pill as directed and consistently, 93% are effective at preventing pregnancy.
Everyday is important in optimizing its effectiveness of taking the mini pill at the same time; missing more than three hours (12 for 12-hour pills) requires additional birth control methods such as condoms for two days if necessary. You can start the mini pill at any point during your menstrual cycle; however, for maximum effect it should be taken on the first day of menstruation.
Natural Birth Control
Natural birth control methods, often referred to as fertility awareness methods, include observation and knowledge of menstrual cycles to avoid insemination when an egg is most vulnerable for fertilization. They require daily commitment from both partners in order for these methods to work effectively.
Every morning, women use basal body temperature monitoring to identify their fertile window (five days leading up to and including the day of ovulation), in which case they avoid sexual contact or use condoms; additionally, she checks her cervical mucus quality as this should have clearer fluid that resembles raw egg white in texture.
A woman may also use the rhythm method, which involves tracking her menstrual cycles on a calendar to identify ovulation and most fertile days and avoid or use condoms during those times to prevent pregnancy.
Bioidentical Hormones
Bioidentical hormone replacement therapy contains natural estrogen and progesterone that are suitable for both men and women to address issues like declining ovarian function or menopause symptoms. They’re available both to men who require treatment as well as those suffering through menopause themselves.
Bioidentical hormones can be purchased from pharmacies or premade by pharmaceutical companies, or custom made at compounding pharmacies according to an individual patient’s prescription. Although often marketed as the natural option, there is no proof they are safer or more effective than FDA-approved therapies.
Bioidentical hormones may be taken orally or intravenously; none is approved by the Food and Drug Administration, exposing users to more risks than similar FDA products. According to The Endocrine Society, bioidentical hormones are substances chemically identical to hormones produced naturally in our bodies; however, no controlled studies have compared their safety with FDA-approved therapy and none require standardization so dosage, purity and ingredients may differ considerably between products.
