Seasonale Vs Seasonique – Birth Control Pills

There are many different types of contraception that people use. Among the most popular is the oral birth control pill. The reason for this seems to be because it is the most effective form. In addition, it can help to cut the risk of serious health concerns such as ovarian cancer and osteoporosis in half. However, choosing a pill can be quite overwhelming as there are at least fifty different brands currently on the market, making the decision a bit difficult. There is also the fact that each woman is bound to experience a different side effect than the next when it comes to taking any one of the birth control pills offered today. Most of the time women try out at least a few of them before they find one that they want to stick to. Some birth control pills even offer women the option of having fewer menstrual periods each year. Two of the variations that do this are Seasonale and Seasonique. Many people do not understand that while the names may sound the same, there are actually differences in the two pills.

Clearing up the Confusion

Because there are so many similarities in terms of packaging and as far as the names go, many women actually confused Seasonale with Seasonique. The truth of the matter is that there are some very distinct differences in the two products. For one, a woman who is using Seasonale will have a menstrual period that is deregulated to about 7 days per cycle and only once every three months. With Seasonique the effect will be almost the same, the major difference being that the period will be only about 4 days long, every three months. The difference comes as a result of different amounts of progestin and estrogen in each. Which a woman is prescribed will depend on many different factors and will be determined by her physician in terms of her specific needs.

Which Is Better for You?

If you are looking into Seasonale and Seasonique, you may be wondering which would be the best match for you. Generally speaking, Seasonique seems to be the choice for women who experience unbearably painful periods in combination with heavy bleeding. The obvious reason would be the desire for periods which are much shorter in duration. Women who have mild to moderate periods and have much lighter bleeding during their cycle seem to do just fine with Seasonale as they are much more able to handle longer periods. The reason for these differences is that Seasonale has a 7 day interval of a placebo, whereas Seasonique does not have a period in which a placebo is given and it administers a continuous regimen.

Which Is More Effective?

Both Seasonale and Seasonique are quite effective forms of oral contraception. However, there has been a lot of research done that suggests Seasonique as being the top choice in terms of ovarian protection, which of course means that there is less of a risk of pregnancy for women taking this pill. Seasonale has shown a slightly lower protection level and therefore a bit of a higher risk of pregnancy. Again, the pros and cons as well as the particular circumstances of the woman’s life will depend largely on which of the two pills her doctor recommends for her. Seasonale also delivers lower levels of estrogen so this may encourage a doctor to suggest it for women who have more pain and bloating during periods.

Things Your Doctor Will Look For

Before your doctor will prescribe either of these forms of oral contraception, he/she will check for specific things and will have you fill out a medical questionnaire. One of the things which your doctor may do prior to giving you these medications is perform a pregnancy test. If you have had any type of history with blood clots, stroke, poor circulation, liver disease, high blood pressure, cardio vascular disease, migraines or a history of depression, be sure and let your doctor know. It is important to be totally honest on your medical history questionnaire as there are specific risks associated with many different medical conditions.

Every form of oral contraceptive comes with a certain set of possible side effects. It is very important that you educate yourself on the different risks associated with any form of medication before taking it. When it comes to birth control pills it is important to remember that you are dealing with hormones and many times there can be adverse reactions such as weight gain or other conditions which can be brought on by a hormonal imbalance. Always make sure you read all of the labeled information and ask your doctor as many questions as you need to in order to be sure you are aware of any of the side effects that could occur as a result of taking oral contraceptives.

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  1. Actually, there is no connection between oral contraceptive pills and weight gain. And, taking oral contraceptives does not give you "hormonal imbalance". Whoever wrote this inserted their own opinions into the last paragraph – this needs to be edited out.

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