Birth control pills are formulated from hormones, taken to change the natural functioning of the body in order to prevent pregnancy. Hormones are the essential chemicals of the body that direct the working of the body’s organs. Most of the oral contraceptive pills contain a combination of hormones called estrogen and progesterone that work together to prevent the ovulation and thus the release of the egg during the onset of a monthly cycle.

The strong hormones in the pill make the mucus around the cervix thick which dissuades the sperm from entering the uterus. This further, prevents the fertilization of the egg via sperm. Thus, since the pill inhibits the fertilization process, the women stays away from the pains of the unwanted pregnancy. Further, the potent combination of the hormones present in the birth control pill makes it difficult for the released egg to settle on to the walls of the uterus. Most of these pills supply the hormones to the body for a typical duration of 21 days – 28 days.

This means that one hormone pill is taken every day and continued for another 21 or more days. In addition, there are combination pills, available in the market that needs to be taken continuously for a period of 12 weeks. These pills considerably decrease the frequency as well as intensity of periods in women.