“Why not take birth control pills,” is a question that some women say has been addressed to them numerous times.
Their parents, boyfriends, doctors and many others have asked them.
Virginia Cardenas, a nurse at FAMU’s health clinic, recommends that students use birth control pills.
“First of all, this is a population where [students] are sexually active,” she said. “Second of all, we’re getting a lot of pregnancies.”
According to Cardenas it is the student’s choice on what type of birth control pills they choose to use.
On www.birthcontrolpills.com, the website shows the different types of birth control pills include second generation pills and third generation pills.
The difference between second and third generation pills is the type of progestin they use as their active ingredient.
What has become known as third generation birth control pills (contraceptives) use either desogestrel or gestodene, and second generation birth control pills use levonorgestrel or norgestrel.
Some of the second generation birth control pills include Ovrette, Aless, Levlen, Ovral and Triphasal.
Some of the third generation birth control pills include Mircette, Desogen, Ortho-Cept 21, Ortho-Cept 28 and Apri.
Although birth control pills can prevent pregnancy if used correctly, there are still some negative side effects that come along with taking pills.
Side effects for some of the second generation birth control pills include: weight gain, acne and harmful changes in cholesterol levels.
The third generation birth control pills, which were developed to reduce the side effects produced by the second generation pills, have been linked to high occurrence of serious side effects including blood clots.
The most common type of blood clot associated with the third generation birth control pill is deep venous thrombosis (DVT).
Some women choose not to take birth control pills.
“It’s more natural and healthier for the body,” said Cristie Hernandes, 20, a junior general studies student from Ponponte Vedra.
Although some women are on the pills, they too would rather not take them.
“They make you sick and make you genetically gain weight,” said Lori Thomas, 20, a junior business management student from New Orleans.
Even though birth control pills have side effects, some women feel the need to have them and feel as though they have benefited from the pills.
“I like taking the pills because they help relieve my menstrual cramps and regulate my cycle,” said Latricia Lloyd, 22, a nursing student from Cocoa.
Some women think it’s necessary to be sexually active in order to take birth control pills.
That is not always the case.
The pills can help regulate menstrual flow and relieve menstrual cramps.
Birth control pills can’t prevent users from catching diseases, but they can do protect from pregnancy.
Anyone interested in getting birth control pills or is seeking information about birth control pills, can contact their local doctors or contact the FAMU’s health clinic at 599-3777, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m-5 p.m.