There are so many myths when it comes to sexual health that it can be difficult to know what to do for the best, to protect your wellness and wellbeing. The pill is one area where there are a lot of misconceptions (if you’ll pardon the pun!)
For example, some people believe that brand-name and generic pills are totally interchangeable. Whilst it is true that the quality of the drug between a brand name and generic pill will be equal, the dose variant is much larger in generic pills, with around 10 percent variation as opposed to 3 percent in brand name pills. For that reason, if you are sensitive to the hormones in the pill, you should always stick to a brand name variety.
Another recent scare has been that the pill may cause breast cancer. At the time of writing, there is no evidence to support this whatsoever. Women who have had breast cancer are advised not to take the pill, but there is nothing to say that it actually increases your risk. What’s more, studies have shown that women who took the pill for five years or more had a significant reduction in ovarian cancer and a smaller, but still significant, reduction in uterine cancer, so it may actually be beneficial.
One thing about the pill that is true, however, is that it can interact with other medications. Antibiotics such as rifampin, doxycycline and amoxicillin can all make the pill less effective so you should employ additional methods of contraception whilst on these drugs.
You also don’t really have to take your pill at the same time every day – that is a myth. It’s a good idea to take it at a set time purely because you will be more likely to remember. You can tie it in with an activity such as brushing your teeth, to help it become part of your routine. As long as you take it within a 12 hour window each day, however, it should be effective.
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