Finding the right hormone birth control can be confusing. However, the experts at the National Institutes of Health, the Mayo Clinic and Planned Parenthood agree that hormone birth control is safe for healthy women. Before starting a birth control regimen, a woman should talk to her gynecologist about which method would work the best for her. Some types of birth control require a daily pill, while others may be a monthly or one time dosage.
Hormones
According to Planned Parenthood, two types of synthetic female hormones are used in hormone birth control: estrogen and progestin. Some forms of birth control, like the combination birth control pill, contain both estrogen and progestin. For women who cannot take estrogen, like smokers over the age of 35, progestin-only birth control pills are available.
Forms of Birth Control Pills
Women can choose from three different types of birth control pills: combination pills, progestin-only pills and extended cycle pills. All three forms of birth control have low levels of hormones. Combination and progestin-only pills have three weeks of hormone pills and one week of placebo pills. Extended cycle pills do not contain placebo pills every month, which prevents a woman's period, according to the National Institutes of Health.
Other Forms of Hormonal Birth Control
For women who do not want to take a daily pill, they can choose more long term options: injections, implants and intrauterine devices, according to the National Institutes of Health. Injections, like Depo-Provera, contained synthetic hormones and are given every three months. Implants contain a three month supply of hormones and are implanted in the woman's upper arm. The hormonal intrauterine devices, or IUD, can last up to five years. Made out of plastic, the T-shaped intrauterine device is inserted into the woman's vagina, according to Planned Parenthood.
Effectiveness
According to Planned Parenthood, hormone birth control is 99 percent effective when used properly. If a woman misses a pill, or takes the pill an hour later, the effectiveness of the birth control decreases.
Safety
According to the Mayo Clinic, as long as a woman is in good overall health, she can stop using hormone birth control at any time. For birth control pills, a woman can stop anywhere in the pack. However, an intrauterine device needs to be removed by the woman's doctor.
