“I regret the first time I had sex. I was very young, naive and irresponsible. I was under the impression that all of my friends were having sex, which I now know was not true.”
—Lee, 17, Oregon
What is Lybrel? Is it OK to not get my period?
Lybrel is a new, FDA-approved birth control pill in the United States. Lybrel is different from other birth control pills because women never experience their periods and many of the common complaints associated with menstruation, like cramping and mood swings.
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How does it work?
Like other forms of hormonal birth control, Lybrel releases hormones into a woman’s body that cause her not to ovulate. Since she is not releasing an egg (ovum), she cannot become pregnant. The hormones also cause her cervical mucous to thicken, which prevents sperm from swimming up into her cervix and fallopian tubes.
With most birth control pills, girls stop taking the pills for one week while they get their period. With Lybrel, girls continue to take an “active” pill each and every day so that the lining of the uterus never gets built-up or sheds. Thus, women taking Lybrel do not get their periods.
When taken correctly, Lybrel has a failure rate of approximately 1 to 2 percent per year. This means that for every 100 women who take Lybrel each year without missing any pills, one or two get pregnant. The average failure rate of large numbers of pill users is approximately 5 percent per year, when women who miss pills are included. So, for every 100 women each year who take birth control pills, 5 get pregnant, when women who miss pills are included. Forgetting to take pills considerably increases the chances of pregnancy. So, remember to take your pills!
What are the drawbacks?
Many women like getting their periods. Some women say that their monthly bleeding is an important time of rest, a moment to be extra-special good to oneself or an especially creative time. Many women also like seeing their periods so that they know they aren’t pregnant. With Lybrel, women need to take a pregnancy test if they are experiencing common symptoms of pregnancy, like breast soreness or tenderness, having to urinate (pee) more often, feeling really tired, feeling nauseous and throwing up.
Like with all hormonal birth control options, there are some side effects. Most side effects of the pill are not serious. The most common are unscheduled bleeding, nausea, vomiting, weight gain, breast tenderness and difficulty wearing contact lenses. These side effects, especially nausea and vomiting, may subside within the first three months of use.
The serious side effects of the pill occur very infrequently, especially if you are in good health and do not smoke.
Like other forms of hormonal birth control, Lybrel releases hormones into a woman’s body that cause her not to ovulate. Since she is not releasing an egg (ovum), she cannot become pregnant. The hormones also cause her cervical mucous to thicken, which prevents sperm from swimming up into her cervix and fallopian tubes.
With most birth control pills, girls stop taking the pills for one week while they get their period. With Lybrel, girls continue to take an “active” pill each and every day so that the lining of the uterus never gets built-up or sheds. Thus, women taking Lybrel do not get their periods.
When taken correctly, Lybrel has a failure rate of approximately 1 to 2 percent per year. This means that for every 100 women who take Lybrel each year without missing any pills, one or two get pregnant. The average failure rate of large numbers of pill users is approximately 5 percent per year, when women who miss pills are included. So, for every 100 women each year who take birth control pills, 5 get pregnant, when women who miss pills are included. Forgetting to take pills considerably increases the chances of pregnancy. So, remember to take your pills!
What are the drawbacks?
Many women like getting their periods. Some women say that their monthly bleeding is an important time of rest, a moment to be extra-special good to oneself or an especially creative time. Many women also like seeing their periods so that they know they aren’t pregnant. With Lybrel, women need to take a pregnancy test if they are experiencing common symptoms of pregnancy, like breast soreness or tenderness, having to urinate (pee) more often, feeling really tired, feeling nauseous and throwing up.
Like with all hormonal birth control options, there are some side effects. Most side effects of the pill are not serious. The most common are unscheduled bleeding, nausea, vomiting, weight gain, breast tenderness and difficulty wearing contact lenses. These side effects, especially nausea and vomiting, may subside within the first three months of use.
The serious side effects of the pill occur very infrequently, especially if you are in good health and do not smoke.
- Blood clots
- Liver tumors
- High blood pressure
And, of course, Lybrel and other forms of hormonal birth control pills don’t provide any protection against sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), so it is still important to use condoms.
How do I get Lybrel?
Lybrel requires a prescription from a health care professional. Your doctor, gynecologist or a medical professional at a clinic can write one for you. They can also talk with you about all of your birth control options to make sure you are getting the right method for you. If you aren’t good at remembering to do something every day—like taking a pill—then you can also check out Implanon, Depo-Provera and the NuvaRing.
For more information on Lybrel, you can check out their Web site.
Still have questions? Read more information on menstruation. Remember that you still need to use a condom, even if you're on birth control. Make sure you know how to use condoms.
How do I get Lybrel?
Lybrel requires a prescription from a health care professional. Your doctor, gynecologist or a medical professional at a clinic can write one for you. They can also talk with you about all of your birth control options to make sure you are getting the right method for you. If you aren’t good at remembering to do something every day—like taking a pill—then you can also check out Implanon, Depo-Provera and the NuvaRing.
For more information on Lybrel, you can check out their Web site.
Still have questions? Read more information on menstruation. Remember that you still need to use a condom, even if you're on birth control. Make sure you know how to use condoms.
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