Considerations
Lessina is a type of birth control pill knows as a combination pill. Combination pills have both estrogen and progestin in them, and according to Planned Parenthood, they're so effective that less than one in 100 women will get pregnant while taking them correctly. Lessina works to prevent pregnancy in three ways.
Ovulation Suppression
The primary way Lessina prevents pregnancy is to suppress ovulation. While taking Lessina, the synthetic hormones override your body's natural hormones and prevent your ovaries from releasing an egg. When no egg is present, there's nothing for sperm to fertilize, and therefore pregnancy cannot occur. In order for this process to work correctly, it's important that you take your birth control pill every day at around the same time. Regularly missing your pills can allow for your body to release an egg.
Cervical Mucous Changes
The hormones in Lessina change your cervical mucous. During ovulation, cervical mucous is designed to help guide sperm toward the egg. When you take hormonal contraceptives, it changes your cervical mucous, making it more difficult for sperm to swim through your reproductive system. Should you ovulate, birth control helps decrease the likelihood that sperm will reach your egg.
Uterine Lining Changes
The final way Lessina works is to change the lining of your uterus. Hormonal birth control discourages this lining from thickening, which is why it can lead to lighter, shorter periods. This thinned-out lining is often not sufficient enough for a fertilized egg to implant itself in, meaning that if you do ovulate and the sperm does make it through your cervical mucous, the fertilized egg may not be able to implant. If it does not implant, it cannot begin to grow and will be shed with your period as if it were never fertilized.
