MODEL RELEASED. Oral contraceptive. A man holds a packet of female contraceptive pills over a mirror. The man's face, seen reflected in the mirror, has a defiant gesture against the pill. This may be to do with the dangers associated with taking the pill, or with the fact that no similar male contraceptive exists, or a moral objection to contraception. Female contraceptive pills use synthetic sex hormones to supress ovulation, make cervical mucus impenetrable to sperm, and inhibit the implantation of fertilized eggs. Side effects of taking the pill include weight gain, dizziness and an increased risk of breast cancer and thrombosis which may lead to stroke.