OverviewCombination birth control pills, also known as the pill, are oral contraceptives that contain estrogen and a progestin. Show Combination birth control pills keep your ovaries from releasing an egg. They also cause changes in the cervical mucus and the lining of the uterus (endometrium) to keep sperm from joining the egg. Different types of combination birth control pills contain different doses of estrogen and progestin. Continuous-dosing or extended-cycle pills allow you to reduce the number of periods you have each year. If you want to use combination birth control pills, your health care provider can help you decide which type is right for you. Why it's doneCombination birth control pills are a reliable form of contraception that's easily reversed. Fertility can return to normal almost immediately after stopping the pills. Other, noncontraceptive benefits of these pills include:
Combination birth control pills come in different mixtures of active and inactive pills, including:
Continuous-dosing and extended-cycle pills might provide additional benefits of suppressing menstruation, such as:
Combination birth control pills aren't appropriate for everyone, however. Your health care provider might suggest you take another form of birth control if you:
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Some side effects — including nausea, headaches, breast tenderness and breakthrough bleeding — might decrease with continued use. Combination birth control pills increase the risk of certain conditions, which can be serious. They include:
Consult your health care provider as soon as possible if you're taking combination birth control pills and have:
How you prepareYou'll need to request a prescription for combination birth control pills from your health care provider. Your health care provider will check your blood pressure, check your weight and review your medical history, including medications you're taking. He or she will also ask about your concerns and preferences to help determine which combination birth control pill is right for you. Health care providers generally recommend pills with the lowest dose of hormones that will help prevent pregnancy, give you important noncontraceptive benefits and minimize side effects. Although the amount of estrogen in combination pills can be as low as 10 micrograms (mcg) of ethinyl estradiol, most pills contain about 35 mcg. Low-dose pills can result in more breakthrough bleeding than pills with more estrogen. Combination pills are categorized based on whether the dose of hormones stays the same or varies:
What you can expectTo use combination birth control pills:
If you vomit within two hours after taking a combination birth control pill or have severe vomiting and diarrhea for two or more days, proceed as if you've missed a pill. Dec. 17, 2020 Combination birth control pills
How soon do birth control side effects start?It can take two to three months for your body to adjust to the hormones in a new birth control pill (or other form or hormonal birth control like the patch or shot), and that can mean side effects like acne or weight gain (though this is usually water retention, not extra fat).
What happens the first week of birth control?Finally, many may also experience nausea, breast tenderness, weight gain or loss, mild headaches, dizziness, or breakthrough bleeding (spotting) and turbulent emotions during their first few days on the pills.
Can birth control affect you in the first week?Spotting and irregular bleeding are common side effects of most methods of hormonal birth control, especially in the first few months of use.
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