The birth control pill?

i'm 17 and i've been with my boyfriend for about 5 months now. my mum has told me i should go on the pill so i can protect myself from pregnacy. i'm not against the idea of going on the pill but i would just like a bit more information on it. also my boyfriend doesnt want me to take the pill because he says it'l make me gain weight, does that actually happen or is it just a myth?
thanks x

It's not a myth that some forms of birth control can make you gain weight (by the way, why does he care if you gain weight? It's your body, not his). When I went on birth control, my boobs got two cup sizes bigger, which was actually sort of okay. The truth is, birth control affects your hormones, which can change your body in a number of ways. It's different for everyone but for me, it worked out. On average, most women do not gain weight from taking birth control.
I suggest you read up before you decide what kind of birth control you want to go on. A good website is http://www.womenshealth.gov/faq/birthcon... What is certain though is that if you and your boyfriend are having sex, you need to protect yourself, both from getting pregnant and from STDs. Birth control pills do NOT prevent STDs.
I recommend you read up a bit on this subject and then talk to your doctor. He or she will provide all the information you need before you take the pill.

that's BS you go on the pill so you don't get knocked up! and tell your bf to kiss your butt!
you can gain weight with the pill! you can also get pregnant with the pill, as it is not 100% safe! use other precaustions too!
depends on the person. not everybody gains weight on it but most people do. there are other types if contraception other then the pill. go speak to your g.p or local family plannig clinic.
It works different for each individual person. I was on it for many years, and it never made me gain weight, but I know people that did gain weight from it, so you may or you may not. But if you gain a few pounds, who cares. It is better than being a parent at 17. Pregnancy will change your life forever, so if you are going to be sexually active, I hope you choose to go on it.
Hey,

There's two different types of pill; a combination pill containing two hormones (oestrogen and progesterone) and a 'mini' pill containing just progesterone. All hormonal birth control basically uses one of the above two methods. Hormonal control can be pills that require taking every day, injections and implants that last respectively months or years, skin patches, vaginal rings and inter-uterine devices (IUDs)

The combination methods prevent ovulation (and make your cervix produce thicker mucus so that sperm can't penetrate as easily). The progesterone-only methods trick the body into believing that it is already pregnant, so there's no ovulation and any fertilised eggs can't implant in the womb.

You should definitely discuss going onto the pill with a trained health professional. There are risk factors such as a history of (or family history of) blood clots, heart disease, smoking etc, and you will need to discuss with an expert whether a particular type is suitable for you. The two types have different risk factors.

Unfortunately, they both have side effects as well. It's true, some women do put on weight while on the pill. Many women on a progesterone only method find that their periods are lighter or stop altogether, but then some find that they are heavier. The second link below is good for looking at possible side effects.

If, after all that reading, you prefer barrier methods such as condoms, stick with them. It's what you're comfortable with, and barrier methods such as condoms have the added bonus of protecting you from STIs. No pill in the world can do that.
http://www.womens-health.co.uk/birth_con...
http://www.wdxcyber.com/ncontr13.htm...