Oral contraceptive pill

Oral contraceptives, abbreviated OCPs, also known as birth control pills, are medications taken by mouth for the purpose of birth control.

Female

Two types of female oral contraceptive pill, taken once per day, are widely available:

• The combined oral contraceptive pill contains oestrogen and progesterone
• The progestin-only pill

Emergency contraception pills ("morning after pills") are taken at the time of intercourse, or within a few days afterwards.

• Yuzpe regimen uses combined oral contraceptives
• Ulipristal acetate is an antiprogestogen

Other types of female oral contraceptive are experimental or only available in limited areas:

• Mifepristone is an antiprogestogen which has been used as a daily oral contraceptive in investigational clinical trials
• Ormeloxifene (also known as Centchroman) is a selective estrogen receptor modulator which is taken one to two times per week

Male

• Male oral contraceptives are currently not available commercially, although several possibilities are in various stages of research and development