Side Effects Of Changing Birth Control Pills – Medical Review by Alexandra Perez, PharmD, MBA, BCGP – Ann Pietrangelo – Updated March 30, 2023

Hormonal contraception is not without side effects. As with all drugs, there are benefits and potential risks that affect everyone differently.

Side Effects Of Changing Birth Control Pills

Most believe that hormonal contraception serves only one purpose: to prevent pregnancy. Although it is very effective compared to other forms of contraception, the effects are not limited to pregnancy prevention. In fact, they can even be used to help treat other health issues like menstrual relief, skin changes, and more.

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Contraceptive pills and patches are available only with a doctor’s prescription. Hormonal contraceptives are available in many forms, including:

Each type has similar benefits and risks, although each responds differently to hormones. If you’re interested in birth control, talk to your doctor about which type is most effective for you. Effectiveness depends on how consistently you use contraception.

For example, some people find it difficult to remember to take the pill every day, so an implant or IUD would be a better option. There are also non-hormonal birth control options that can have different side effects.

However, no form of hormonal contraception protects against sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). You will still need to use condoms to prevent STDs.

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The ovaries naturally produce the female hormones estrogen and progestin. Each of these hormones can be synthetically produced and used in contraception.

Higher than normal levels of estrogen and progestin prevent the ovary from releasing an egg. Without an egg, sperm have nothing to fertilize. Progestin also changes cervical mucus, making it thick and sticky, making it harder for sperm to find their way into the uterus.

When using certain hormonal contraceptives, such as the Mirena IUD, you may experience lighter and shorter periods and relief from menstrual cramps and premenstrual symptoms.

These effects are one reason why some women use birth control specifically for premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD), a severe form of PMS. Some women with endometriosis also use birth control to relieve painful symptoms.

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The risk decreases the longer oral contraceptives have been used, and the protection lasts even years after a woman stops using oral contraceptives.

However, women who use oral contraceptives may have an increased risk of breast and cervical cancer.

Although birth control has many benefits, it can also cause side effects. Spotting between periods, also known as intermenstrual bleeding, is common in those using hormonal birth control.

Spotting is more common with ultra-low and low-dose forms of hormonal birth control, such as hormonal IUDs, implants, and birth control pills.

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Contraception can also cause other side effects. Reproductive side effects as your body adjusts to oral, implant, and patch contraceptives include:

In some women, birth control pills and patches can raise blood pressure. These extra hormones can also put you at risk for blood clots.

These side effects are uncommon in most women, but when they do occur, they are potentially very serious. This is why hormonal methods of contraception require a prescription and routine monitoring.

As the body works to maintain hormonal balance, it is possible for the introduction of hormones to cause disruption, causing mood swings.

Changing Contraceptive Pill

However, there are few studies on the effects of contraception on women’s mental health and well-being. Just recently, a 2017 study looked at a small sample of 340 healthy women and found that oral contraceptives significantly reduced overall well-being.

Some women experience changes in appetite and weight while using hormonal contraception. However, there are few studies or evidence showing that birth control causes weight gain.

Some women using hormonal birth control may experience side effects including nausea and bloating. These tend to subside after a few weeks as your body gets used to the extra hormones.

Taking the pill with food can help with nausea. Switching to a pill with less estrogen can also help.

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If you have severe pain, vomiting or yellowing of the skin and eyes (jaundice), see your doctor. Dark urine or light-colored stools can also be a sign of serious side effects.

On the other hand, others may develop acne or notice no change at all. Every woman’s body and hormone levels are different, so it is difficult to predict what side effects will occur as a result of birth control.

Sometimes the hormones in birth control cause unusual hair growth. But more often than not, birth control actually helps with unwanted hair growth. Oral contraceptives are also the main treatment for hirsutism, a condition that causes coarse, dark hair to grow on the face, back, and abdomen.

Talk to your doctor if you feel that your current birth control is not right for you. Being open and honest about your side effects and how you feel is the first step to getting the right dose and type you need.

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Our experts are constantly monitoring the health and wellness space and we will update our articles as new information becomes available. Maybe you’re going on vacation, traveling, or realizing that your mornings are always filled with meetings, lectures, or other busy times. tasks. Whatever the situation may be, you may want to change the time you take your pill so you have one less thing to worry about.

The advice on how to do this varies depending on whether you are taking the combined pill (containing progestogen and oestrogen) or the progestogen-only pill. And then which type of progestogen-only tablet.

We’ve taken the hassle out of solving the problem in our guide to changing the time you take the pill, but first use our contraception pages to check what type of pill you’re on.

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First, some cleaning. This blog will talk a lot about “secure windows”. Basically, all pills last a certain amount of time, and these time frames vary depending on what type of pill you’re taking.

Everyone is advised to take the pill around the same time each day. If you deviate from this time (but it’s still within the safe window for that type of pill), it will be classified as a “late pill.” If you then take the pill within the safe window, you will still be protected from pregnancy, and this allows you to change the timing of your pill.

On the other hand, a “missed pill” means that the time frame in which you have not taken a pill exceeds the safe window for that particular pill. This means that you may not be protected against pregnancy. If you’re worried about accidentally missing a pill while you’re away, or if switching to a new pill will take time, you can check out our missed pill calculator. Here at The Lowdown, you can order a morning after pill as a backup for future emergencies.

The safe window for this type of pill is 24 hours – i.e. j. you must take the pill within 24 hours of when you should have taken the pill (or within 48 hours of taking the last pill). However, it is important to consider the type of pill you are taking as Daylette, Eloine, Qlaira and Zoely require a different approach.

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So, just to give an idea…you decide to go to a morning yoga class, so you want to change your pill time from 8:00am to 7:00pm. This is comfortably within the 24-hour window of when you should take the pill (which is an 11-hour time difference). All you have to do is take the pill at the new time and keep going. No extra contraception needed!

And on that note, don’t worry, even if you go over the 24-hour window and miss one pill in the pack or start taking it one day late, you’re still protected against pregnancy. This makes changing the timing much easier. The risk of pregnancy only exists if you exceed the window of 48 hours or more after which you should have taken the pill.

A really quick moment about monophasic and polyphasic pills. If you miss a pill completely when trying to change the timing of your pill, it’s worth knowing that some types of pill deliver hormones at different levels throughout your cycle.

Monophasic, which is the most common type of pill, keeps your hormone levels constant for 21 days, plus you can take a pill-free break of up to 7 days if you choose. Multiphasic (also known as phasic) pills contain different amounts of hormones. This may change the recommended advice on missed tablets and the specific order in which you take the tablets is more relevant with multiphasic tablet types.

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In this case, if you miss a pill, you should carefully read the leaflet that came with your pill. If you’re still not sure, use condoms and talk to your pharmacist or GP. Alternatively, one of our doctors can advise you.

POP works by thickening cervical mucus as a barrier that prevents sperm from reaching the egg and thins the lining

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