Birth control pills are a kind of medication that women can take daily to prevent pregnancy. They are also sometimes called the pill or oral contraception. Birth control pills are made of hormones. Hormones are chemicals made in our bodies. They control how different parts of our bodies work. The hormones in the pill work by keeping a womans ovaries from releasing eggs — ovulation. Pregnancy cannot happen if there is no egg to join with sperm. The hormones in the pill also prevent pregnancy by thickening a womans cervical mucus. The mucus blocks sperm and keeps it from joining with an egg. To learn more, visit: www.plannedparenthood.org