

Headaches: the onset of new headaches should be brought to the attention of your medical provider.Reducing caffeine and salt intake can decrease breast tenderness, as can wearing a supportive bra. However, if there is a presence of a lump or the pain is not going away, seek medical help. Breast tenderness: birth control pills may cause your breasts to enlarge or become tender, which tends to improve after the first few weeks of starting the pill.Seek medical help if the nausea is severe or persistent. One solution is to try taking your pill with food or at bedtime. However, nausea symptoms usually resolve over a short period of time. Nausea: mild nausea when initially starting the pill can occur.It is recommended that you contact your medical provider if you experience 5 or more days of bleeding while on your active pills or heavy bleeding for 3 or more days. During this time of spotting, the pill is still effective as long as the pill has been taken correctly and none were missed. Generally, this resolves in over 90% of women by their third pill pack. Intermenstrual spotting: vaginal bleeding between your expected periods is experienced by approximately 50% of women using the pill, most commonly within the first 3 months of initiating the pill.The 10 most common side effects of oral contraceptives are: Birth control pills do not prevent sexually transmitted diseases. Oral contraceptives are also used as a method to prevent ovarian and endometrial cancers. Decreasing the risk of breast cysts, ovarian cysts, pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) and pregnancies in the fallopian tubes.

Acne, hirsutism (excess hair growth) and alopecia (hair loss).Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) and premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD).The pill can also be taken for non-contraceptive protection to treat medical conditions such as: There are two types of contraceptive pills, both of which contain synthetic hormones estrogen and progesterone. Combination pills contain both hormones estrogen and progesterone whereas the “mini pill” known as the progestin-only pill contains only the hormone progestin.

However, when taken daily at the same time, only one in 100 women will experience an unintended pregnancy within the first year of pill use. The pill is a highly effective method of birth control when taken correctly.Įach year, 8% of women experience an unintended pregnancy while taking the pill – most commonly because they forgot to take it. Check out the common birth control pill side effects to help you make a decision. The oral contraceptive pill, commonly referred to as “the pill,” is a form of hormonal contraception taken by approximately 12 million women in the United States each year to prevent pregnancy.
