1 Definition
Medications which are made of hormones that prevent ovulation. The hormones in the pill cause changes in the cervical mucus and the lining of the uterus. The cervical mucus thickens, which blocks the sperm from entering the cervix. The lining of the uterus thins, making it less likely that a fertilized egg can attach to it. Together, these events make it very unlikely that someone taking the pill will become pregnant.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2010 Springer Science+Business Media LLC
About this entry
Cite this entry
(2010). Oral Contraceptives. In: Preedy, V.R., Watson, R.R. (eds) Handbook of Disease Burdens and Quality of Life Measures. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-78665-0_6255
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-78665-0_6255
Publisher Name: Springer, New York, NY
Print ISBN: 978-0-387-78664-3
Online ISBN: 978-0-387-78665-0
eBook Packages: MedicineReference Module Medicine