science

Oral contraceptive pill

Oral contraceptive pill is a science topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Oral contraceptive pill rather than just read about it. In short: Oral contraceptive pills (OCPs), also known as birth control pills, are medications taken by mouth for the purpose of birth control. The introduction of the birth control pill ("the pill") in 1960 revolutionized the options for contraception, sparking vibrant discussion in the scientific and social science literature and the media.

Key takeaways

Oral contraceptive pill belongs to science; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Oral contraceptive pill to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Oral contraceptive pill from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

Oral contraceptive pills (OCPs), also known as birth control pills, are medications taken by mouth for the purpose of birth control. The introduction of the birth control pill ("the pill") in 1960 revolutionized the options for contraception, sparking vibrant discussion in the scientific and social science literature and the media. Much attention focused on issues of women's rights, including ethics and personal choice. But these medications also introduced new questions about risk.

Female Two types of female oral contraceptive pills, taken once per day, are widely available:

The combined oral contraceptive pill contains estrogen and a progestin; colloquially known as "the pill". The progestogen-only pill, colloquially known as "the minipill". For perfect use (regular use according to the prescriber's instructions), it is 99% effective. For typical use, it is 91% effective, primarily due to non-adherence with the recommended daily dosing regimen. Side effects of the pill may include headache, dizziness, nausea, sore breasts, mood changes, acne (though it may also help reduce acne, along with certain types of cancer and other sources of medical risk), and bloating. One pill offers the benefit of only having to be taken once a week:

Ormeloxifene, a selective estrogen receptor modulator Emergency contraception pills ("morning after pills") are taken at the time of intercourse, or within a few days afterwards:

Levonorgestrel, sold under the brand name Plan B Ulipristal acetate Mifepristone and misoprostol, when used in combination, are more than 95% effective during the first 50 days of pregnancy.

Side effects Breast cancer: studies show a higher risk of breast cancer among active users of hormonal contraceptives (especially oral contraceptive pills) compared to non-users. This study also specifically mentioned that it is the estrogen that plays the role regarding the development of breast cancer, while the role for progestin is still unclear. Stroke: stroke is considered another side-effect for hormonal contraceptives and more importantly oral contraceptives, more importantly in the first year of use. Depression: Evidence shows that use of oral contraceptives is associated with an increase in the risk of depression. Although the risk declines with continuation, there is still a higher risk of depression among ever users and non-users of oral contraceptives.

Male Male oral contraceptives are not available commercially, although several types are under research and development.

References

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Oral contraceptive pill

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Oral contraceptive pill claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Oral contraceptive pill before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Oral contraceptive pill ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Oral contraceptive pill

In research: Oral contraceptive pill appears in science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Oral contraceptive pill in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Oral contraceptive pill is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Hormonal contraception, Set index articles, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Oral contraceptive pill outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study Oral contraceptive pill in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Oral contraceptive pill means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Oral contraceptive pill out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Oral contraceptive pill in simple terms?

Why does Oral contraceptive pill matter?

Because it connects several science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Oral contraceptive pill?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Oral contraceptive pill.