Oral contraceptives can be started any day of the week and any day of the menstrual cycle. All women who start taking oral contraceptives should first have a pregnancy test to make sure they are not already pregnant. Some include vaginal spotting and abnormal bleeding this usually decreases after the first 3 months of use , breast tenderness, bloating, and nausea.
Studies have shown that birth control pills do not cause major weight gain. Oral contraceptives may also have some beneficial effects other than birth control. They can help with irregular or heavy periods, painful periods or premenstrual syndromes, polycystic ovarian syndrome, acne, uterine fibroids, and endometriosis.
It is important to know that oral contraceptives do not protect against sexually transmitted diseases. Also, some medications such as some antibiotics, seizure medications, and antidepressants can change how effective birth control pills are when taken together. Taking oral contraceptives can also change the effectiveness of these other medications, so it is important to tell your doctor about all other medications you are taking.
There are many other forms of birth control available. Talk to your doctor if you have questions about oral contraceptives or other forms of birth control. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention www. Many are available in English and Spanish. A Clinical Guide for Contraception. Jin J. Oral Contraceptives. Coronavirus Resource Center.
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This includes women who:. If any of these factors apply to you, talk with your doctor about the risks of using a birth control pill. Many birth control options are available today, and the birth control pill is an excellent one. But the best birth control choice for you depends on many factors.
To find an option that works for you, talk to your doctor. Be sure to ask whatever questions you have. These might include:. Learn what research says about hormonal birth control and weight gain. Also, learn about losing weight, the role of estrogen, other causes of weight…. Is it possible for birth control to make your breasts bigger? Learn more about how hormonal birth control can affect breast size. Many women with PCOS find they can manage their symptoms by controlling their diet and lifestyle choices.
When its symptoms aren't controlled, women…. Hormonal birth control, like the implant, can cause a number of side effects — but is weight gain one of them? Here's what you need to know. In most cases, an IUD doesn't cause bleeding after sex. Learn about the benefits and risks of using an IUD, as well as common causes of bleeding after….
Health Conditions Discover Plan Connect. What are the types of birth control pills? How do birth control pills work? How do I use birth control pills? How effective are birth control pills? What are the benefits of birth control pills? What are the disadvantages of birth control pills? Side effects and risks.
Talk with your doctor. Read this next. Speak to a GP or nurse or call NHS for more information, if your sickness or diarrhoea continues. If there are no medical reasons why you cannot take the pill, and you do not smoke, you can take the pill until your menopause. However, the pill is not suitable for everyone. To find out whether the pill is right for you, talk to a GP, nurse or pharmacist.
If you have just had a baby and are not breastfeeding, you can most likely start the pill on day 21 after the birth but you will need to check with a doctor. You will be protected against pregnancy straight away. If you start the pill later than 21 days after giving birth, you will need additional contraception such as condoms for the next 7 days. If you are breastfeeding, you're not advised to take the combined pill until 6 weeks after the birth.
If you have had a miscarriage or abortion , you can start the pill up to 5 days after this and you will be protected from pregnancy straight away. If you start the pill more than 5 days after the miscarriage or abortion, you'll need to use additional contraception until you have taken the pill for 7 days. Some medicines interact with the combined pill and it does not work properly.
Some interactions are listed on this page, but it is not a complete list. If you want to check your medicines are safe to take with the combined pill, you can:. The antibiotics rifampicin and rifabutin which can be used to treat illnesses including tuberculosis and meningitis can reduce the effectiveness of the combined pill.
Other antibiotics do not have this effect. If you are prescribed rifampicin or rifabutin, you may be advised to change to an alternative contraceptive. If not, you will need to use additional contraception such as condoms while taking the antibiotic and for a short time after. Speak to a doctor or nurse for advice. The combined pill can interact with medicines called enzyme inducers.
These speed up the breakdown of hormones by your liver, reducing the effectiveness of the pill. A GP or nurse may advise you to use an alternative or additional form of contraception while taking any of these medicines. There are some risks associated with using the combined contraceptive pill.
However, these risks are small. The oestrogen in the pill may cause your blood to clot more readily. If a blood clot develops, it could cause:. The risk of getting a blood clot is very small, but your doctor will check if you have certain risk factors before prescribing the pill. The pill can slightly increase the risk of developing breast cancer and cervical cancer.
It can also decrease the risk of developing womb uterus cancer , ovarian cancer and bowel cancer. However, 10 years after you stop taking the pill, your risk of breast cancer and cervical cancer goes back to normal. Contraception is free to everyone through the NHS.
Places where you can get contraception include:. Find a sexual health clinic. If you need contraception, call your GP surgery or a sexual health clinic as soon as possible.
Only go in person if you're told to. It can take longer to get contraception at the moment and some types are not widely available. You may only be able to get the combined pill if you've had your blood pressure and weight checked in the last 12 months. If you cannot get the combined pill, you may be advised to use the progestogen-only pill or condoms for now. If you want advice about changing your contraceptive pill, you can visit a GP, contraceptive nurse sometimes called a family planning nurse , or sexual health clinic.
You should not have a break between different packs, so you will usually be advised to start the new pill immediately or wait until the day after you take the last of your old pills. You may also be advised to use alternative methods of contraception during the changeover, as the new pill may take a short time to take effect.
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