5 Common Side Effects of Birth Control Pills
Plus, exactly what you can do to start feeling like yourself again.
By Brielle Gregory
For plenty of women, taking birth control pills has become as much a part of their routine as brushing their teeth or having a cup of coffee in the morning.
In fact, about 26 percent of women who use some form of contraception are on birth control pills, according to a 2012 survey from the Guttmacher Institute. Sterilization comes in second, accounting for about 25 percent of women using contraception, followed by condoms at roughly 15 percent, and IUDs at about 10 percent.
"The pill has been around for over 50 years, so many women are familiar with it and know friends or family who have experience with the pill," says Susan Ernst, MD, chief of gynecology services at the University of Michigan. "Women that I care for like the idea of a contraceptive option they can control. They can start and stop the pill as they wish."
MORE ON CONTRACEPTION
9 Things to Know About Getting Your Tubes Tied
9 IUD Facts Every Woman Should Know
But despite the pill being the most popular form of birth control, it still comes with potential risks. "The biggest problem with the pill is typical use patterns where women forget to take the pill altogether or take the pill late," says Dr. Ernst. When there's a lapse in taking the pill, its effectiveness consequently goes down.
Then, there are the various side effects of your daily dose. "When I'm talking to a patient, I usually break the risks down into side effects that can be uncomfortable or bothersome but aren't dangerous, and then there's the risk of dangerous things that can happen that are generally very, very rare," says Jennifer Acton Robinson, MD, assistant professor of gynecology and obstetrics at Johns Hopkins University.
Topping the most serious birth control pill-associated problems is venous thromboembolisms, which are blood clots in your legs or lungs that can lead to other dangerous problems, like heart attack or stroke. But the risk of this happening is very rare, with only about 3 to 9 of every 10,000 oral contraceptive users suffering from a blood clot in any given year.
However, there are more everyday side effects you should know if you're considering (or currently taking) birth control pills—here are five to keep on your radar.
You may feel nauseous or cranky from time to time
Nausea is one of those side effects that's "uncomfortable but not dangerous," which "aren't necessarily going to have a significant impact on a person's health, but they can really alter their quality of life or just make it difficult or unpleasant to take the pill," says Dr. Robinson.
Most birth control pills contain both estrogen and progesterone, which are the primary hormones your ovaries produce. However, it's typically that high dose of estrogen that will cause birth control pill-related problems, including nausea, mood changes, or headaches.
"Most birth control pills have the same medication—that's the estrogen component—but there are different doses," says Dr. Robinson. "So one option might be if someone's really symptomatic on one pill, think of switching to a pill with a lower estrogen dose."
PRO TIP: Try taking the pill at night instead of the morning, since nausea tends to hit within the first hour or two of taking it. This way, you'll sleep right through any discomfort.
Your breasts could feel sore and tender
You might notice that your breasts become more sensitive once you go on the pill, which is another effect caused by that higher dose of estrogen.
"Typically, side effects are worst in the first few cycles on the pill, but for most women they resolve over time," says Dr. Ernst.
PRO TIP: While you wait for your body to get used to birth control, Dr. Robinson recommends taking an anti-inflammatory medication like ibuprofen to help ease some of the pain associated with that tenderness.
It might be worth waiting a few months before you switch pills, but if that soreness is still continuing after several cycles, talk to your doc about trying a different formula, says Dr. Ernst.
You might experience breakthrough bleeding
This is the kind of bleeding that occurs mid-cycle, outside of your scheduled period. Trial and error will be key here, so make sure you have an open discussion with your doctor about what exactly you want from your birth control. "It's about figuring out what kind of method is going to fit within your life and what you want for not only pregnancy planning and pregnancy prevention, but what do you want your periods to be like?" says Dr. Robinson. "How willing are you to have irregular bleeding, versus no bleeding, versus very, very predictable bleeding?"
PRO TIP: As long as the irregular bleeding isn't heavy (since that can signal other serious health conditions) it's not something you should be immediately concerned about. But if it's something you're uncomfortable with, work with your doctor to find another dosage. You can also try another birth control method altogether, like an IUD or NuvaRing, which may help curb some of that spotting.
You may struggle with vaginal dryness
When you start the pill, your vaginal fluids will start to change. This means you could experience more lubrication—or a lack of it. "Some women do notice they produce fewer vaginal secretions, and that can lead to vaginal dryness," says Dr. Robinson. "That may be something they notice and find uncomfortable every day, or it's something that's primarily when they're trying to have sex."
PRO TIP: If it's something that's bothersome mostly when you're trying to have sex, Dr. Robinson recommends using a personal lubricant during sex to see if that helps curb that discomfort.
But if it's something that becomes more of a daily problem, your best bet is in trying a vaginal moisturizer (like this one from Replens), which is meant to be used every day. If it's really bothering you and none of those things work, talk to your doc about switching to another pill or form of contraception, says Dr. Robinson.
It's important to note that many women also mistake a change in discharge for a yeast infection, but discharge associated with the pill will not cause itchiness like a true yeast infection.
Replens Long-Lasting Vaginal Moisturizer
Vagisil Prohydrate Internal Vaginal Moisturizing Gel & Lubricant
K-Y Jelly Personal Water Based Lubricant
Good Clean Love Almost Naked Personal Lubricant
Your libido might plummet
Although there's not enough research to support a direct correlation between birth control pills and a low libido, some women do seem to experience a lack of desire once they start the pill.
"Certainly on an individual basis, I've seen patients say I've taken this birth control pill or used this birth control method, and I've had a terrible sex drive and switched to something different, and it got better," says Dr. Robinson. "So for some women, there does seem to be an association between birth control hormone use and change in their libido."
MORE ON LIBIDO
9 Things That Are Killing Your Sex Drive
8 Ways to Boost Your Libido
PRO TIP: A doctor won't be able to tell which pills will affect your sex drive, so if you do notice a significant change in your desire to get busy once on the pill, talk to your doctor about which change might work best for you.
When should you actually worry about these birth control side effects?
If you find that your symptoms aren't going away or are getting worse, schedule an appointment with your doctor. "They'll probably ask questions to suss out, do we think it's related to the birth control pill or the birth control method, or is there something else going on?" says Dr. Robinson, like an underlying health condition. "Sometimes, the only way to figure out is it the pill versus something else is to stop the pill and see if the symptoms go away."
If your doctor does recommend you go off the pill, don't sweat it—you can still use condoms as a temporary method or switch birth control methods entirely. Dr. Robinson recommends learning about the different methods through Bedsider, which also helps you determine a schedule for your birth control pills if you stick with that route.
The bottom line: If your birth control pill is giving you troubles, there are ways to work around it. "There are so many different formulations, we can typically find an oral contraceptive pill that minimizes side effects," says Dr. Ernst.
Brielle Gregory Brielle Gregory previously worked at Men's Health magazine, where she reported, edited, and fact checked all things health, nutrition, and weight loss related; she currently spends her time digging into similar topics as a freelancer writer and editor.
More From Sex
10 Expert-Approved Ways to Soothe an Itchy Vagina
7 Products to Buy at Lovehoney's July 4th Sale
7 Common Sex Dreams and What They Mean
The Best Sex Toys If You're New to Sex Toys
5 Best Sex Positions for a Mind-Blowing Orgasm
This Couples Vibrator Changed My Sex Life Forever
Everything You Need to Know About Vyleesi
The Most Intimate Sex Positions to Try Tonight
The Scoop on Sex After a Hysterectomy
Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos "Ruined" a Birthday
The New Male Birth Control Pill
7 Ways the Mirena IUD Might Mess With Your Body
The Case For Treating Your Arthritis With…Birth Control Pills?
10 Non-Hormonal Birth Control Methods
How Effective Is Your Birth Control?
8 Uses For Birth Control That Have Nothing To Do With Preventing Pregnancy