Birth Control Pill Side Effects You Should Know About

Mumsy Pop February 14, 2023

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If you are taking birth control pills, you are right to know the side effects that can come with them so you can recognize them early. If you are experiencing some of the uncomfortable side effects of this birth control pill, you can switch to another pill or another method of contraception as recommended by your doctor.

Common Side Effects of Birth Control Pills

These are some of the side effects associated with taking birth control pills:

1. Intermenstrual Spotting

Vaginal bleeding is one of the common side effects of birth control pills. It affects about half of women who use the pill. Bleeding mainly occurs within the first three months of taking the birth control pill, and it occurs between periods.

Spotting is usually caused by the body adjusting to the new hormonal environment. For 90 percent of women, intermenstrual spotting stops by the end of the third month. However, for others, it may take longer.

The pill is always active even if you experience these side effects as long as you follow the correct schedule. You should seek medical advice in case of heavy bleeding for more than two days or normal bleeding for more than four days.

2. Nausea

Nausea is also a common symptom that occurs during the first few days of taking the pill. For most people, nausea ends after a while. Check out some great tricks to avoid nausea below.

https://www.instagram.com/p/By5c1-hhoWX/

The key to avoiding unwanted side effects is being consistent with taking the pill. There are several solutions that can help with this, from reminder apps to more sophisticated pill reminder devices.

3. Fluid retention

Taking birth control pills causes some people to experience slight weight gain due to their cells retaining fluids. Estrogen found in contraceptives can cause fat cells to grow causing them to hold more water. However, like many other side effects, this symptom is short-lived, and many women return to their normal weight after 2 to 3 months.

Note that serious weight gain is not one of the side effects of the birth control pill. Various scientific studies have come out to prove this myth.

4. Mood changes

Mood changes when using the birth control pill can occur especially in people with a history of mental illnesses such as depression. The pill can cause people to experience emotional changes. Therefore, people with a history of mental health problems should discuss this with their doctor.

5. Missed periods

Sometimes, you may miss your period even if you are taking the pill. This can result from other factors such as stress, hormonal abnormalities or illness. However, you should make sure that you take a pregnancy test if you have sex to confirm that you are not pregnant.

If you continue to miss periods, you should seek medical advice.

6. Decreased sex drive

The hormones in birth control pills can affect some people’s sex drive. However, it is difficult to be sure if decreased libido is a side effect of the birth control pill because other factors can also cause the symptom.

Unusual side effects

Other birth control pill side effects are less common but can pose a serious risk to your health. This includes:

Blurred vision
Headache
Stomach ache
Swelling in the legs

If you experience these symptoms, you should seek medical advice. They may be a pointer to a more serious problem such as liver disease or heart disease.