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Side Effects of Birth Control

 There are several pros and cons to using any type of birth control. While the new breeds of contraceptive pills and implants are more effective in terms of preventing pregnancy, there are also side effects of birth control methods that cannot be avoided.

Hormone based methods of birth control tend to have the most side effects. In some cases they can be merely annoying or uncomfortable whereas in others, the side effects may be so strong that you need to switch methods altogether. Some common side effects of birth control include:

• Headaches
• Dizziness
• Tenderness of the breasts
• Nausea
• Bloating
• Breakthrough bleeding
• Heavier or longer periods (with IUDs)
• Cramps
• Vaginal discharge
• Allergies (to latex in condoms)
• Infections
• Urinary tract infections
• Skin irritation (in the case of the patch)
• Toxic shock syndrome
• Mood swings
• Decreased libido
• Weight gain
• Worst-case scenario side effect is infertility (though this is rare)



Frequently asked questions

• What Are Some Of The Side Effects Of Birth Control Pills?
• What Are The Different Kinds oF Birth Control Methods?
• What Is The Most Effective Birth Control Method?
• What Could Be The Cause For My Irregular Periods?

References

1. Vivian Brache, Luis José Payán, Aníbal Faundes, Current status of contraceptive vaginal rings, Contraception, Volume 87, Issue 3, March 2013, Pages 264-272, ISSN 0010-7824, 10.1016/j.contraception.2012.08.037.
2. Terri L. Walsh, Ron G. Frezieres, Karen Peacock, Anita L. Nelson, Virginia A. Clark, Leslie Bernstein, Brian G.D. Wraxall, Effectiveness of the male latex condom: combined results for three popular condom brands used as controls in randomized clinical trials, Contraception, Volume 70, Issue 5, November 2004, Pages 407-413, ISSN 0010-7824, 10.1016/j.contraception.2004.05.008.