Contraceptive pills only cause side effects in some women. Most often, the side effects of birth control pills are harmless to he alth, although they are troublesome and sometimes disturbing. They usually appear at the beginning of taking the pills, as the body gets used to the hormonal changes. Although they usually go away on their own, it's worth knowing how to deal with the side effects of birth control pills.

The side effects of the contraceptive pillare generally limited to mild, temporary changes in how you feel. However, you can never predict whether someone will develop more serious symptoms - their risk increases if a woman smokes, is overweight or has venous disease.

Find out the most common side effects of hormonal contraception.

Contents:

  1. Side effects of birth control pills - weight gain
  2. Bleeding
  3. Headaches and migraines
  4. Libido drop
  5. Thrombosis

Side effects of birth control pills - weight gain

Gaining weight while taking birth control pills may be due to fluid retention or fat gain. The accumulation of fluids depends on the composition of the tablet, the content of hormones in it and their type. Most often, weight gain is not greater than 1-2 kg and decreases after discontinuation of the tablets.

In this case, it is best to contact a doctor who will change the preparation to another. But weight gain can also be caused by an increase in appetite, especially during the first three application cycles. In such a case, it is effective to pay attention to a proper diet.

Side effects of birth control pills - bleeding

Spotting and bleeding during the use of birth control pills most often occur in the first 2-3 cycles and when using pills with a lower hormone content. Bleeding can be caused by errors in taking tablets, irregular tablet use or taking hormone tablets continuously without taking breaks. Factors contributing to bleeding include diseases with intestinal malabsorption, certain medications and smoking. Bleeding can also be caused by otherfactors independent of the tablets, for example inflammation or cervical polyp. For these reasons, if bleeding does not stop spontaneously, you should see your doctor.

Side effects of birth control pills - headaches and migraines

Estrogens contained in birth control pills may increase headache, especially in the form of migraine. The disease is related to the level of sex hormones in the body (as evidenced by the more frequent occurrence of migraines in women in childbearing years), therefore an additional dose of estrogens and progestogens in the form of combined birth control pills may exacerbate its symptoms.

Contraceptive pills are not recommended for women who suffer from extremely severe migraines with aura. Taking the pill may increase their risk of having a stroke.

How does the contraceptive pill for men work?

Worth knowing

How long do the side effects of birth control pills appear?

Side effects of hormonal contraception may appear after 2-3 days of taking the pills. However, do not worry immediately - if they are mild and limited only to a slightly worse mood, they usually disappear quickly on their own, so it is better to continue taking them. But if the side effects are more serious (shortness of breath, numbness in the legs, pressure surges), stop taking the pills and contact your doctor.

Side effects of birth control pills - decreased libido

The decrease in libido associated with hormonal contraception may have various causes. It may be associated with dryness of the vaginal mucosa, discomfort and avoidance of intercourse for these reasons. The effect of pills on libido depends to some extent on their quantitative composition and the type of hormones contained. For these reasons, it is sometimes beneficial to change tablets to other ones.

Decreasing libido can also be caused by mood disorders, psychological factors and depression. Therefore, it is always worth considering the possible cause of the disorder and talking to your doctor about it. Recognizing the cause enables effective treatment. Unfortunately, the cause of decreased libido is not always known and even changing birth control pills is not effective. In such cases, the only thing left to do is change the method of contraception. It is worth noting that this is not always the case and in many women there is an increase in libido associated with the use of hormonal contraception.

Serious complications of using hormonal contraception

Serious complications associated with the use of hormonal contraception are extremely rare, but symptoms such as abdominal pain,headaches, visual disturbances, pain and swelling in one leg should not be taken lightly and always require medical attention if they occur.

Side effects of birth control pills - thrombosis

Hormonal contraceptive preparations promotethrombosis . Their influence on coagulation depends on the composition of a given preparation, the amount of estrogen and the type of progestogen used. It is estimated that thromboembolic complications occur several times more often than in women who do not use hormonal contraception. Factors contributing to complications are: genetically determined tendency to thrombosis, obesity, long immobilization and large varicose veins.

Important

The risk of thromboembolic complications while using hormonal contraception increases especially in women predisposed to coagulation disorders and when other risk factors are present, the most important of which are obesity, prolonged immobilization and large varicose veins.

Category:

Pregnancy