Choosing a birth control pill

Articles

Content What are the different kinds of birth control pills? How do the different birth control pills work? Are all kinds of birth control pills appropriate for everyone? What are the pros and cons of combination pills? What are the pros and cons of the minipill? What's the bottom line?

Easily reversed method of birth control if you hope to get pregnant
Relief from premenstrual syndrome (PMS)
Less severe menstrual cramps (dysmenorrhea)
Improvement in acne
Shorter, lighter and more predictable periods, or fewer or no periods
Reduction in heavy bleeding (menorrhagia) and related anemia
Reduced symptoms of endometriosis
Lowered risk of ovarian, endometrial and colorectal cancers
Possible positive effect on bone mineral density
Improvement in unwanted hair growth (hirsutism) caused by polycystic ovary syndrome

Skipping pills or taking them late may reduce effectiveness
No protection against sexually transmitted infections, including HIV
Increased risk of high cholesterol, heart attack and stroke
Increased risk of blood clots, especially for smokers and women older than 35 years of age, with a slightly greater risk of blood clots linked to pills that contain higher doses of estrogen
Increased risk of cervical cancer and breast cancer for women who are currently taking combined birth control pills, but this risk appears to gradually decline to normal levels once you stop taking the pills
Side effects such as irregular bleeding, bloating, breast tenderness, nausea, depression, weight gain and headache