Contraceptive Pill Side Effects

The side effects of contraceptive pills are generally reported to be worse during the first few months of you taking it. They should begin to subside after that. If they persist beyond this time, you might be advised to change the type of pill you are taking. There are many to choose from and you should be able to find one that reacts better with your body.

As with all hormonal medications, the side effects can vary in their level of severity depending on your body. If pill side effect persists, simply contact a doctor or family planner to discuss your options.

Common side effects

Some of the more common side effects of the combined hormonal pill are:

• Headaches
• Nausea
• Slight spotting in-between periods
• Slight weight gain
• Breast tenderness

Serious side effects

There are several more serious side effects that may require more attention and should be discussed with your doctor if you experience any of them. The more serious contraceptive pill side effects are:

• Deep vein thrombosis or a clotting of blood
• Heart attacks or strokes
• Can increase your risk of developing cervical and liver cancer

Who has a higher risk of experiencing side effects?

There are ways that you can try to minimise the level of severity of side effects, because there are actually a few factors that can increase them. If you experience, partake in or suffer from any of the following, you might actually be more susceptible to experiencing high levels of side effects.

• If you are a smoker
• If you have a history of thrombosis
• If you are overweight
• If you have high blood pressure or cholesterol
• If you are older than 50

Are contraceptive pills safe?

Contraceptive pills are safe to use as a birth control pills. There has been a great deal of debate as to whether there is a greater risk of cancer when taking contraceptive pills. In the past, it was thought to increase your risk of developing breast cancer, but more recently studies that there is no overall risk in users of contraceptive pills. There may be a slight increase in your risk of developing cervical cancer, but this is preventable with regular smear testing. Contraceptive pills are actually known to decrease your risk of several cancers, including ovarian, womb and bladder cancer.

To make sure that you use contraceptive pills safely, use them exactly as instructed and monitor yourself while you are on them. If you feel particularly uncomfortable using a particular birth control pill, you should maybe explore a pill that contains different types of ingredients or a lower dose.