Squirrels - You are correct in saying what the pill DOES (prevent ovulation entirely), however, what I tried to show was HOW it does this.
It isnt magic, it does not stop the womans body from producing eggs, it creates a chemical imbalance in the body, through acidic synthetic hormones, to prevent the release of eggs.
This is the point I was trying to make in my previous post. I didnt mean to mislead by being overly simplistic about the role of increased acid the pill creates.
The New England Journal Medicine has a few great pieces of literature to explain how the hormones, estrogen and progestogen, the two hormones found in the pill, and how it creates a higher acidic imbalance in the woman's body.
The American Medical Association Study of Pregnancy states,
" ...birth control pills work primarily by signaling the pituitary (the "master gland" of the body) to stop causing the ovaries to release eggs"
note: not stop producing, but RELEASING eggs.
"the pill also makes it difficult for sperm to enter the uterus by producing an acidic mucus plug at the opening of the uterus."
"a man's fertility may be affected because the sperm are especially sensitive to the acidity of the woman's vagina or cervical canal which can further aid in the prevention of pregnancy."
- - - AMA, guide to Pregnancy; 1987
This "increased levels of acidic hormones" is the role of the pill.
You are wise in knowing the main goal of the pill, but by understanding HOW it achieves this goal you can see how it is quiet easy to inadvertantly or accidentally disrupt the chemical imbalance thru basic outside synthetics.
Back in the day when the pill was designed Walmart did not have 6000 over-the-counter meds to choose from. Birth control pills are still a good prevention of pregnancy as long as the users are aware of the influence of outside meds.
I am not a doctor, but for over 10 years I have battled these acidic hormones. My body creates these higher levels naturally, making it impossible for me to get pregnant without taking acid reducing or a form of fertility drugs.
The chemicals in the drugs I have taken are similar to the chemicals found in other "reducing' drugs, just in stronger concentrates.
The science isnt perfect, it allows me to get pregnant, but it cannot hold back this acid production long enough for me to carry a child full term, resulting in misscarriages.
There are woman that have the opposite issue, their body produces very little of the hormones and the pill may not be strong enough to prevent the release of the egg or depleat the sperm count. Thus, resulting in pregnancy, with no human error or outside meds.
Again, it is still a good form of birth control, but a womans chemistry and/or outside influences, can lessen it's ability for total prevention.
