Side Effects of the Birth Control Pill
- Spotting/Bleeding: May occur during the first few months. Consider a different pill or consult a doctor.
- Nausea/Vomiting: Usually subsides after a few weeks. Take with food or consider a different pill.
- Breast Tenderness: Common initially, usually resolves. A supportive bra may help.
- Headaches/Migraines: Some pills may increase headaches. Consult a doctor if severe.
- Mood Changes: May include depression or anxiety. Consult your doctor if concerning.
- Weight Changes: May cause weight gain or loss. Diet and exercise can help. Consult your doctor.
- Reduced libido: Can vary by pill. Discuss concerns with your doctor or switch options.
Mayo Clinic Birth Control Pill
NHS Birth Control Pill
Source: 123 RF
Birth control pill, side effects
La birth control pill is an oral hormonal contraceptive, valued by more than 100 million women worldwide because of its guaranteed coverage and because it is particularly convenient. There are many advantages, some disadvantages, and few or fewer side effects. Let’s try to see together what they are.
A step back: how it works
What exactly is it? The contraceptive pill is an orally administered drug composed of a mix of hormones female, estrogen and progesterone, which if taken regularly inhibit ovulation. There are two types of pills, both of which have hormonal content: the combined pill and the minipill. The two types differ because the former contains a synthetic version of both estrogen and progesterone, while the latter contains only a synthetic version of progesterone. At the level of coverage and ti use, there is not much difference.
Advantages and disadvantages
The contraceptive pill is almost always chosen by women who are in a stable relationship, with a steady partner and with whom a short-term pregnancy is not expected. At any time it is possible to stop taking the little one, but it is still inconvenient to start taking hormones for a short period (it is still a drug and the body needs a settling time to “get used to” taking it).
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On the other hand, the pill has a guaranteed coverage in very high percentages to prevent unwanted pregnancies, but does not protect against sexually transmitted diseases and therefore is not the indicated contraceptive for casual sex. Another disadvantage may be that of thedaily intake and regular, at about the same time every day (here’s what to do if you forget the pill). On the other hand, however, it does not provide for thetermination of the relationship or the insertion of physical barriers of any kind (unless one wants or needs to match condoms in case of forgetfulness or casual partners).
When it is not recommended
Now at very low hormone dosages and available in different formulations, the contraceptive pill is recommended for young women, older women, and even in breastfeeding. The gynecologist and in counseling can identify the best type and most suitable for each need and situation. In very few circumstances it is contraindicated, and usually in the face of diagnosis important, as in cases of cancer of the uterus or breast; liver tumors; heart and vascular disease; or liver or kidney failure. Also to be carefully evaluated in case of diabetes o hypertension. Also the smoke is considered a risk factor but not an absolute contraindication. Women who are sensitive and very delicate in the intestines should evaluate this oral contraceptive well: in fact, the absorption of the pill is intestinal, so frequent episodes of vomiting and diarrhea may interfere with the drug’s action.
Side effects
Since it is a drug, some side effects are still expected, depending on the dosage and the body’s “tolerance.” It is always good to consult a physician at the time of the onset of discomfort, to check its severity and risk. Here are the main side effects of the pill, which are likely but do not always occur.
Nausea and/or vomiting
Nausea and vomiting caused by the pill, or rather the hormones it contains, are always less frequent, and very few women complain of them. They can occur in the first few months, in the settling-in period. Usually nausea passes after the first three months, but if it persists it is a good idea to seek counseling before discontinuing the intake independently. In case of nausea it is good to choose light foods, absorb with bread and crackers, and prefer small meals but frequent so as not to weigh you down.
Headache and migraine
The relationship between headaches and the pill is very staff and still depends on the variation in hormone levels. For some women, migraines improve with taking the pill; while for others, especially during off days with a low level of estrogen, attacks become more frequent and acute. In very few cases, headaches appear with the start of contraceptive treatment despite never having suffered from them. For headaches the Magnesium is a great remedy, to be taken as a powder diluted in water (ask your doctor for formulation and dosage).
Breast tension
As occurs physiologically during ovulation, even while taking the pill it is possible to experience a sensation of swollen and tense breasts. It does not necessarily happen, but possibly discomfort can be felt 1 o 2 weeks before the cycle, especially in young women in their 20s and 30s. Wraps of warm water can provide relief; we avoid stiff bras, and only in cases of very severe pain is pain-relieving medication recommended.
Water retention
Feeling of swelling in the legs and water retention are effects and discomfort that have almost completely disappeared in the latest generation of pills with rather low hormonal dosage. It is possible that the phenomenon is reinforced in women and girls who already suffer from it, or with a slow metabolism (so it may also increase weight). It is important, with taking the pill but in general, to be careful about a healthy diet and doing physical activity and sports, which help to drain and keep the body healthy.
Spotting
These are. intermenstrual bleeding. It usually happens in the first few months of intake, and in any case only at a 10% of women who take the birth control pill. If the discharge is profuse or persists, it is a good idea to consult your gynecologist to verify its nature and consider discontinuing the medication.
Less desire
A decidedly unwanted effect that often terrifies young women is the decrease in desire and libido caused by the alterations in hormone levels of all hormonal contraceptives, such as the pill, but also the patch and the ring. Indeed it can happen, but especially in the long term, after years of taking it, and in any case also depending on the nature and time of the relationship (it is quite physiological that in stable and lasting relationships passion has peaks and dips in desire). The pill could also bring vaginal dryness, and in this case it would be good to use lubricants to avoid pain during intercourse. In any case, even with low-dose pills, a break of a few months every three years of intake, to allow ovulation and libido to return.
Serious side effects
Then there are other side effects of a more serious dimension, for which immediate action should be taken with the advice of a gynecologist, such as: cardiovascular disease; hypertension (blood pressure should be monitored while on the pill, at least every 6 months/one year); increased coagulation of blood (which is why the pill is likely to be discontinued before in invasive interventions). The rates are very low indeed, but it is good not to downplay or ignore all the symptoms.
The curative pill
However, the birth control pill also has several benefits, and it is not uncommon for it to be recommended for improving certain discomforts. Specifically, it can be useful for regularizing the cycle, as the pill, especially in the long term makes the cycle regular, and less intense, also decreasing the menstrual and premenstrual pain. The pill is also recommended in adolescence and puberty to improve the health of the skin and hair, and against acne because it reduces sebum production. Since this is a drug, however, it is always a good idea to evaluate with a professional the benefits, but also the risks, without taking liberties in diagnosis and evaluation (in any case, in Italy the pill can be purchased in pharmacies with a prescription).
