Unlocking the Mystery: Do Birth Control Pills Impact Vaginal Lubrication?

Pills and Vaginal lubrication

Exploring the Link Between Pills and Vaginal Lubrication

Have you ever experienced vaginal dryness and discomfort during sex when using birth control pills? Some women do. This is because these pills alter the body’s hormonal balance, suppressing ovulation and reducing natural estrogen and testosterone levels. In this post, we will explore the link between pills and vaginal lubrication.

While some studies suggest a link between birth control pills and reduced vaginal lubrication, evidence is inconclusive, and more research is needed. A 2018 study found that women using contraceptive pills had lower levels of vaginal lubrication, but other factors, such as age and sexual activity, may also affect lubrication.

What to do if you are experiencing vaginal dryness and discomfort:

If you’re experiencing vaginal dryness and discomfort, there are ways to supplement vaginal lubrication when you are using birth control pills. Here are some coping strategies to consider:

  1. Use vaginal lubrication jelly: Water-based, silicone-based, or oil-based lubrication jelly can help. Just make sure to choose the right type for you.
  2. Talk to your doctor about changing your pill: If vaginal dryness caused by hormonal contraceptive pills is a problem, your doctor may be able to suggest a different type of pill.
  3. Consider hormone replacement therapy: If you’re experiencing vaginal dryness due to menopause, hormone replacement therapy may help. However, it’s important to discuss the risks with your doctor.
  4. Eat a healthy diet: Eating foods rich in vitamins A, C, E, zinc, and selenium can help maintain vaginal health.
  5. Stay hydrated: Drinking plenty of water can help maintain moisture levels in your body, including your vagina.

By practicing these methods, you may be able to improve vaginal moisture. However, if symptoms persist, it’s important to consult your doctor.


Download Our Pill Reminder App and Stay on Top of Your Birth Control!

End your worries about birth control pill mishaps and ensure maximum effectiveness with our pill reminder app. Stay on schedule, never miss a dose, and avoid common mistakes that could lead to unplanned pregnancies. 

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Related blog post:

Birth Control Pills And Sex Drive. Do Pills Lower Libido?

Do Birth Control Pills Make You Fat?

What Are the Most Common Birth Control Pill Side Effects?

Pregnant On The Pill? Is it Possible?

Is it possible to get pregnant on the pill? Yes.

While there is not any method of birth control that is 100 percent guaranteed, oral contraceptives are one of the most effective ones available. In fact, when a woman correctly uses birth control pills that contain both progestin and estrogen, she has a near-100% probability of avoiding pregnancy per year. Even when a woman occasionally forgets to take her pills, the annual effective rate of oral contraception remains at a fairly high level of around 91 percent – but statistically, that still means 9 women out of 100 experience an unintended pregnancy every year.

Over a 3 year time period the risk for unintended pregnancy with typical use is over 24x greater than with consistent, perfect use.

The vast majority of women who do conceive while on the pill report missing two or more pills within a one-month period or they were using prescription drugs like antibiotics or anti-depressants. Overall, 25 out of 100 women become pregnant after a three-year period of typical birth control pill use. Here the keyword is ‘typical use’, which means missing the pill occasionally.

If taken perfectly (roughly same time every day, with no missed pills), the same statistic is 1 pregnancy for every 100 women. Over a three-year time period, the risk for unintended pregnancy with typical use is therefore 24x greater than with perfect use.

What Should a Woman Do If She Gets Pregnant on the Pill

Any woman who believes that she may be pregnant while taking the pill should immediately stop using oral contraceptives and schedule an appointment with her doctor. The doctor can confirm whether she is pregnant and can discuss all the options and answer any questions or concerns.

As long as a woman catches her pregnancy soon enough, termination is still possible, if that is what the woman decides is the best option. A woman who decides to carry the baby to term needs to ensure that she is taking all the precautions necessary to give the child the best possible chance in life.

The Dangers of Getting Pregnant While Taking Birth Control

Many soon-to-be mothers worry that if they conceive a child while using birth control pills, there is a much higher percentage that the pregnancy will end in either a miscarriage or a stillbirth. This is not true. But there are health problems that may develop for women who conceive while using oral contraceptives.

One of the greatest dangers of getting pregnant on the pill is mistaking the signs of pregnancy as one of the side effects of using this form of contraception. This can delay prenatal care and lead to other health risks for both the mother and the unborn child. These signs can include missing a period, breast tenderness, and nausea. Women who suddenly develop any of these symptoms after using the pill for a few months with no problems should speak with a doctor to determine the cause.

The FDA has not officially verified any direct links between oral contraceptives and birth defects.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not officially verified any direct links between continuing to take oral contraceptives and birth defects. A study on birth defects and oral contraception in Denmark seemed to coincide with the FDA’s stance.

In the Danish study, children of mothers who unknowingly used birth control pills during the early portion of their pregnancy had no more birth defects than the general population. But, on the other hand, some studies suggest oral contraceptives can increase the chance of an ectopic pregnancy where the child develops outside of the womb, or in a rare birth defect that affects male babies (called hypospadias).

These are only guidelines and it is important to speak with your doctor about any medical issues which might concern you.


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Birth Control Pill Side Effects You Should Know About

If you are taking birth control pills, it is right that you know the side effects that might come with them so that you can recognize them early. If you experience some of these uncomfortable birth control pill side effects, you can switch to another pill or another form of contraception as recommended by your doctor.

Common Birth Control Pill Side Effects

These are some of the effects associated with taking birth control pills:

1. Intermenstrual Spotting

Vaginal bleeding is one of the common birth control pill side effects. It affects around half the women who use the pill. The bleeding mainly occurs within the first three months of taking the birth control pill, and it occurs between menstrual periods.

Spotting is usually caused by the body adjusting to the new hormonal environment. For 90 percent of women, the intermenstrual spotting stops by the end of the third month. However, for others, it might take longer.

The pill is always active even when you are experiencing these side effects as long as you observe the correct schedule.  You should seek medical advice in case of heavy bleeding for more than two days or normal bleeding for more than four days.

2. Nausea

Nausea is also another common symptom that occurs during the initial days of taking the pill. For most people, nausea ends after a while. Check out some great tricks to avoid nausea below.

https://www.instagram.com/p/By5c1-hhoWX/

The key to preventing unwanted side effects is to be consistent with pill-taking. There are a number of solutions to help in this regard, from reminder apps to more sophisticated pill reminder devices.

3. Fluid retention

Taking birth control pills causes some people to experience a slight weight gain due to their cells retaining fluids. The estrogen found in the contraceptives might cause the enlargement of fat cells causing them to retain more water. However, just like with many other side effects, this symptom is short lived, and many women regain their normal weight after 2 to 3 months.

Note that serious weight gain is not one of the birth control pill side effects. Various scientific studies have come out to disprove this myth.

4. Mood changes

Mood changes when using birth control pills can occur especially in people with a history of mental disorders such as depression. The pill might cause people to experience emotional changes. Therefore, people with a history of mental health problems should discuss this with their doctor.

5. Missed periods

At times, you might miss your period even when you are on the pill. This can result from other factors such as stress, hormonal abnormalities or illness. You should, however, ensure that you take a pregnancy test if you have been engaging in sexual intercourse to confirm that you are not pregnant.

If you continue to miss your periods, then you should seek medical advice.

6. Decreased sex drive

The hormones contained in birth control pills can affect some people’s sex drive. It is, however, difficult to ascertain if ones decreased libido is a birth control pill side effect since other factors can also cause the symptom.

Uncommon side effects

Other birth control pill side effects are less common but might be a serious hazard to your health. These include:

  • Blurred vision
  • Headaches
  • Abdominal pain
  • Swelling in the legs

In case you experience such symptoms, you should seek medical advice. They may be a pointer to a more serious problem such as liver disease or heart disease.

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5 Things Only Women Know About The Pill

The pill may seem like an ingenious and magical medication for birth control, but before you get on your high horse bragging about how you do it with the pills, it’s best to do some research about their risks, side-effects and all. But the research can only tell you so much and the companies which manufacture these pills will certainly tell you that it’s perfectly safe and brag about the perks.

There are countless resources for digging up some dirt about what happens if you forgot to take the pill or does it really make your breasts bigger, but there are things which are only revealed to you once you have experienced them. Thus, despite all the cluster of data on The Pill on the internet which can make any male or female pretty knowledgeable about the pill, there are some things about the pill which are only known to women who actually take them.

So here are those 5 mysterious things about the pill which are only known to women.

It Can Be Used to Skip Period

It seems that the birth control pills are not only used to stop the pregnancy. Those who are experiencing a week full of blood and pain have used the pill to cheat their period. It seems that this is done without any serious harm or side-effect. Who knew that the pill could also be used to subdue your periods to make room for lighter ones.

No More Acne

It is a fact proven by recent studies that every 1 in 3 teens takes the pill to brawl with her acne problems instead of using it for contraception. But not all pills have the magical properties to fight off monstrous acne. Pills combating acne include Marvelon, Yasmin or the mini-pill, which contain anti-androgenic type of progesterone. They battle the male hormones which are present in small amounts in female bodies – the real culprits behind adult acne as well.

It Actually Changes Your Preferences For Your Type of Guy

This may sound a bit strange and crazy, but the women actually suffer a change in their taste for men when they are on the pill. It is not mere speculation, but a hard fact backed by recent studies and research into the pill and its effect on those who take them. Crazy? You decide.

No Big Breasts

You probably hear stories about how the pill made someone’s boobs as big as a watermelon in a matter of weeks when she started taking them, but its just like a UFO being spotted in the skies of New York City. Those stories are all marketing weapons and forget weeks, it doesn’t change the size of breasts after forever. In fact, there have been stories about the pill shrinking them as well, but that’s just a minority. So no big boobs by magical pill.

Eating Them Isn’t The Only Way to Use Them

Since the pill is a tablet, it’s supposed to be thrown into your body through the mouth. But if you are struck with diarrhea or you’re just throwing up, you can ask your vagina to help. Yeah, you read that right. Put 2 tablets in your vagina and they’ll be directly absorbed in your bloodstream. Just make sure you tell your partner about it and use a condom just to be safe. But this is only for a short time. Remember, you’re supposed to eat them.

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First Time Starting The Birth Control Pill? Here’s What To Expect

If you wish to enjoy your sex life without having the trouble to worry about getting pregnant, then opting for birth control pills is the most common solution undertaken by most women. There are some things to expect if you are just starting birth control pills.

These pills are known to increase the amount of estrogen and progesterone so the process of ovulation doesn’t take place. The quantity of these two hormones is heightened so much by these contraceptives that they do not allow the production of other hormones that are required to ripen the egg. Hence, during the time that you take these pills, the menstruation cycle doesn’t occur at all.

It is true that none provide immediate protection against pregnancy from day one.

All modern pills have the same very good safety profile, but it is true that none provide immediate protection against pregnancy from day one. It is ideal to use additional protection for the first 14 days and then you will be safe after this.

Pregnancy risk is 9% if pills are forgotten every now and then.

It is, however, essential to bear in mind that occasional forgetfulness will cause the pill’s contraceptive efficiency to be much lower. Research highlights a pregnancy risk of 9% if pills are forgotten every now and then (vs. a perfect use risk of 0.3%). That is a 30x increase! The fact is that 1 in 10 gets pregnant while on the pill (read more about how to make sure pills work as intended). If you are on the so-called mini-pill (progesterone-only pill, POP), it is even more important to be on time.

We recently did a study where we asked 1694 women of all ages if they knew about the heightened risk related to occasional forgetfulness. The results were quite surprising: 54% heard about it for the first time.

Pill Pregnancy Risk Poll


Download Our Pill Reminder App and Stay on Top of Your Birth Control!

Stay on schedule, never miss a dose, and avoid common mistakes that could lead to unplanned pregnancies. 

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The first three months of using birth control pills can be difficult. It often takes time for your body to adjust, and most women experience at least a few negative (minor) symptoms. Mostly during the first month of adjustment, bleeding is common. With change bleeding, it is common to see some unexpected spotting even if you aren’t technically on your period. Alternatively, the opposite can occur – some women will stop menstruating altogether. Finally, many may also experience nausea, breast tenderness, weight gain or loss, mild headaches, dizziness, or breakthrough bleeding (spotting), and turbulent emotions during their first few days on the pills.

It often takes time for your body to adjust, and most women experience at least a few negative (minor) symptoms.

Those symptoms normally stop within the first 3 months of taking pills. If these signs continue after three months, return to your clinic or doctor for a follow-up. You may be given instructions to switch to a different type of pill.

You may also need to stick it out for a few months to understand how your body will react to the pill. Of course, if you are experiencing symptoms like extreme and overwhelming nausea or severe weight gain within a few days of taking the first pills, contact your doctor.

In general, however, by the third month, emotional fluctuations should be relatively unsubstantial and nausea should no longer be a part of daily living.

Breast tenderness should also disappear although you may experience increased breast fullness.

Another thing to take into consideration is that certain medications and supplements can make the pill less effective (read more about what can make birth control pills fail).

Whether you’re just getting started on the pill, or you’ve been taking them for a while, it’s a good idea to fill your doctor in whenever you add something new to your routine. When in doubt, use a backup method of birth control (and even when not in doubt, the pill doesn’t protect you against STDs). And there’s no way to be delicate about this fact: vomiting and diarrhea can also keep the pill from working. So, you know, use a condom.

If you’ve already started taking pills and have been mysteriously symptomless? That’s perfectly okay too! You’re simply one of the lucky ones out there. No need to worry but keep in touch with your doctor.

(In a clinical pilot – DOI: 10.15761/COGRM.1000217, conducted by a team of doctors including Henna Kärkkäinen, MD, Ph.D., Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Heikki Matero Ph.M, Janne Sahlman MD, Ph.D. at the Kuopio University Hospital, it was concluded that an on-demand reminder system increases adherence of birth control pill users. More details regarding this study can be found here. )

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Using an IUD – The Good And The Bad

There аrе many different forms of birth соntrоl. The mоѕt common ones being the ріll, condom, thе ѕhоt, аnd аlѕо the patch. Whіlе thеѕе аrе competent, іt might ѕоmеtіmеѕ bе сhаllеngіng tо rеmеmbеr using them appropriately. There is a birth control method which does not require constant remembering and care.

Thе intrauterine device, most often known as IUD, іѕ a small ‘T’ shaped іtеm thаt іѕ ѕіtuаtеd іnѕіdе thе utеruѕ. It іѕ рrоduсеd uѕіng flexible plastic that hоldѕ сорреr or hоrmоnеѕ thаt аrе inside the IUD. At thе lоwеr раrt оf thе IUD аrе twо ѕtrіngѕ which hаng dоwn into the vagina. Thіѕ has the purpose of allowing women tо fееl thаt the IUD is ѕtіll іn place and tо rеmоvе іt when it іѕ tіmе.

Hоrmоnаl IUD lasts uр tо fіvе years аnd thе сорреr IUD a ѕtаggеrіng tеn уеаrѕ

The IUD іѕ very durаblе, wіth hоrmоnаl IUD lasting uр tо fіvе years аnd thе сорреr IUD a ѕtаggеrіng tеn уеаrѕ. Bоth IUDѕ аrе аlѕо relatively іnеxреnѕіvе and disadvantages vary depending оn the tуре оf the IUD.

What makes thе IUD a convenient соntrасерtіvе? Aѕіdе from bеіng hіghlу еffесtіvе whеn used рrореrlу, IUD does not interrupt sexual іntеrсоurѕе nor does it fail during it. To dесіdе іf уоu want to use one уоu should take a mоmеnt and consider the IUD рrоѕ аnd соnѕ. It is, оf соurѕе, іmроrtаnt tо аlѕо dіѕсuѕѕ thіѕ with уоur dосtоr but this IUD pros аnd cons list ѕhоuld give уоu an idea of whаt thе method is all about.

Prоѕ оf uѕіng аn IUD

  • Wіth аn IUD уоu never hаvе tо wоrrу about mіѕѕіng a bіrth соntrоl ріll.
  • Thе IUD іѕ always іn рlасе, and уоu will ѕооn еvеn forget thаt it is there.
  • Whether you choose thе сорреr or the hоrmоnе IUD, уоu nеvеr need tо think аbоut іt.
  • Alѕо, it can be uѕеd for mаnу уеаrѕ. It is enough tо have yearly сhесkuрѕ juѕt tо mаkе sure thаt it іѕ іn рlасе but mаnу women only ѕwіtсh IUD after 5 уеаrѕ оf uѕе.
  • If уоu nееd bіrth control fоr mоrе thаn a year, thеn this іѕ a grеаt option.

Cons оf uѕіng an IUD

  • Inѕеrtіng an IUD can bе раіnful if you nеvеr gave bіrth. Thіѕ іѕ еnоugh for ѕоmе women tо forget аbоut thіѕ bіrth control method until after thеіr fіrѕt bаbу. Yоu ѕhоuld аlѕо knоw that іt іѕ important tо lеt an еxреrіеnсеd рhуѕісіаn insert thе device or уоu might experience pain or discomfort.
  • Wіth thе сорреr IUD, you ѕhоuld соunt оn a уеаr of hеаvу реrіоdѕ. Thе periods саn bе ѕо hеаvу thаt уоu wіll еxреrіеnсе fаtіguе аnd a lоѕѕ of іrоn аѕ a rеѕult оf thеm. Prераrе for this bу ѕtосkіng uр оn vitamins and bу having thе right аmоunt оf раdѕ and tаmроnѕ at hоmе іn tіmе for уоur period!
  • Thе IUD саn саuѕе cramps throughout thе mоnth. Thіѕ іѕ a highly іndіvіduаl thіng, аnd ѕоmе wоmеn dоn’t feel thеѕе сrаmрѕ at аll.

In conclusion, using an IUD is реrfесt fоr buѕу wоmеn who dоn’t wаnt thе соnсеrn оf tаkіng a dаіlу ріll оr thе fuss of оthеr mоrе сumbеrѕоmе fеmаlе contraceptives. Best ѕuіtеd for women in ѕtаblе relationships whо аrе аt minimal risk of соntrасtіng a ѕеxuаllу trаnѕmіttеd disease.

When everything falls into place with the IUD, іt really can provide реасе оf mіnd as the соntrасерtіоn method of choice.

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Do Birth Control Pills Make You Fat?

There are many wonderful reasons for choosing the oral contraceptives as your birth control method, but it is important to remember that birth control pills are medication. So do birth control pills make you fat? Women who decide to use them may experience negative side effects.

These side effects may include nausea, headaches, decreased libido, and yes, even weight gain. Remember, not every woman who uses birth control pills suffers from these side effects. Even those who do, these problems are rarely severe.

Over time, most of these side effects will disappear or at least become less pronounced as the body adjusts to the increase of hormones.

Do Birth Control Pills Make You Fat?

Weight gain is one of the main reasons why many shy away from using oral contraceptives. Before starting many women want to know if birth control pills would bring on weight gain.

Most women do not gain any excessive weight from the pill at all.

There is not one answer for everyone. While indeed some women gain weight while on the pill, it is not necessarily a consequence of being on the pill. In fact, most women do not gain any excessive weight from the pill at all.

There are a few reasons why a minority of women may appear heavier and notice a larger number when they step on the scale. The largest amount of blame lies with a hormone known as estrogen.

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Studies show that estrogen may both increase a person’s appetite and have the tendency to cause someone to retain water. However according to a large independent study from 2014 there is no sufficient evidence to suggest that the pill would cause major weight gain.

In the early days of oral contraceptives, birth control pills had much higher levels of estrogen than those which are present in today’s pills. Due to these larger amounts of estrogen in the older pills, many more women experienced negative side effects.

For many women weight gain is a normal occurrence that comes with age.

It is pure consequence why other women begin to wonder if birth control pills are causing weight gain.  It is natural for women to gain some weight during their older teen years into their young twenties and then again when they are in their mid-thirties and beyond.

These just so happen to be the time when many women use birth control pills. Therefore, it is quite natural to put the blame on birth control pills for this normal weight gain.

Do birth control pills make me fat? Highly unlikely, according to science.

What Can You Do If You Gain Weight While Using Oral Contraceptives?

If you are among the small percentage of women who continuously gain weight even after a few months of being on the pill, you should know that there is hope. Your first step is to make an appointment with your doctor to discuss your concerns over gaining weight.

Your weight gain may just be a coincidence and have no link to your birth control at all. For weight gain due to birth control pills, a doctor may be able to help.

Not all birth control pill brands have the same impact on your body.

Not all brands of birth control pills use the same dosage level of estrogen. Your doctor may want to try a prescription with a lower estrogen level to determine if that corrects the problem. Alternatively, your  doctor may put you on a progestin-only pill.

These pills are sometimes known as POPs or minipills because they do not contain any estrogen at all. A recent study that analysed 22 earlier studies found little evidence that POPs would cause weight gain.

One thing to note with POPs is that getting the same contraceptive efficiency as with combination pills will require you to be extra careful with timing. Missing a pill here and there will increase your risk of unwanted pregnancy more than with combination pills.

After you change to a new pill, you should not expect any immediate changes, It generally takes up to three months before most women will notice a reduction in their weight.

As for any other medication, women should ask their doctors questions to understand all the possible side effects birth control pills may cause.

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What Is The Most Common Birth Control Pill Side Effect?

Birth control pill users often worry about possible side effects. What is the most common side effect? And what are the most common worries?

The oral contraceptive pill is a highly effective method of birth control when taken at the same time every day. When taken perfectly (no occasional forgetfulness), only 0.3% of women experience an unintended pregnancy. However, like any medication, it too may come with side effects. We recently did two polls where we asked about the most common birth control pill side effect.

Usually side effects subside during time but still, they worry people. In our polls, we wanted to dive into which ones worried most and which ones had been experienced.

The Most Common Birth Control Pill Side Effect

Almost half (45%) of the users worry about possible weight gain during pill use. If it’s of any relief, clinical studies have found no consistent association between the use of birth control pills and weight fluctuations. Usually, the weight change happens due to other reasons or is temporary.

most common birth control pill side effect_worries

Pretty much in line with this fact is that in our other survey we noticed only 7% of users experiencing weight gain. Most common side effect experienced was actually nausea (21%). If going back to the image above, only 8% of users were worried about experiencing it. It’s good to know that these symptoms usually subside after a short time. Taking the pill with food or at bedtime can also help lower the likelihood of nausea.

most common birth control pill side effect_experienced

(Note that for the other survey it was possible to give multiple answers, so votes do not equal 61.)

Birth Control Pill and Mood Changes

Then how about mood changes? Beforehand only 10% of people were worried about experiencing mood changes. 20% of users reported experiencing these symptoms.

This side effect has been studied a lot. For example, a 2015 study of 90 women published in Human Mapping found that use of the birth control pills was associated with smaller cortical thickness measurements in the lateral orbitofrontal cortex and the posterior cingulate cortex. Now that’s a mouthful…

What does it mean? These areas of the brain are linked with reward response and evaluating incoming stimuli, and it means that the pill could be messing with how you feel about things.

No need to sound the panic alarm though. Authors mention further research needs to be conducted to confirm whether or not there is a connection between cortical thinning in these areas of the brain, mood changes, and birth control pill use. In any case, anyone experiencing mood changes during pill use should contact their medical provider.

When Should You Contact a Doctor?

It is important that anyone who experiences any of the following side effects while taking the pill contacts their medical provider or visits an emergency room immediately, as they may signify a serious condition.

Birth control pill side effects that should be investigated are:

  • A: Abdominal/stomach pain
  • C: Chest pain (as well as shortness of breath)
  • H: Headaches that are severe
  • E: Eye problems such as blurred vision or loss of vision
  • S: Swelling or aching in the legs and thighs (also redness, swelling or pain in the calf or thighs).

These symptoms can be remembered using the acronym ACHES.

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References:

  1. Association of Reproductive Health Professionals, Health matters fact sheet, accessed 20 August 2015.
  2. Brown University, Birth control pills (BCPs), accessed 27 February 2015.
  3. Oral contraceptive pill use is associated with localized decreases in cortical thickness, Nicole Petersen et al., Human Brain Mapping, doi: 10.1002/hbm.22797, published online 2 April 2015, abstract.

5 Signs You’re On the Wrong Birth Control Pill

If you are taking the birth control pills because of PCOS, cramps, fibroids or as a contraceptive, it’s important to know you’re taking the right birth kind of control pill. We listed some symptoms that might indicate your current birth control pill is not the best one for you.

Frequent Headaches or Migraines

If you are experiencing regular headaches or worse migraines after starting to take your birth control pill, your sensitivity to estrogen might be higher than normal. The pill increases levels of estrogen in the body. Look for pills that do not contain hormones.

Lost Your Mojo

The birth control pill can lower your libido since it replaces hormones. The body is responsible for creating 50% of the testosterone when a natural ovulation occurs and testosterone actually plays a huge part in sex drive. The pill can prevent a person from ovulating, which in turn will result in zero production of testosterone hormones, necessary to keep the libido up and running. Testosterone is also responsible for increasing the blood flow to sexual organs – crucial for their sensitivity.

Low Energy

There is a proven connection between taking birth control pills and depletion of vitamin B. If you are not taking a vitamin B6 supplement, chances are that you might feel low on energy. Other symptoms can be moodiness, tiredness and nausea. If experiencing any of these symptoms look into supplementing your vitamin intake or switching the contraceptive method altogether.

If you are not taking a vitamin B6 supplement, chances are that you might feel low on energy.

Feeling Depressed

The birth control pill contains progesterone & estrogen and these can affect the brain. It is very important to find a well-balanced pill which will not put you in bouts of depression or low moods. Each pill has a different dose of these hormones so it might be a good idea to try a different pill or other birth control methods.

Not Being Yourself

If your mood and behavior have changed after taking the pill, you feel miserable and moody and most of all you don’t feel quite yourself, it might be best to look into other options. Your body knows best when something is not right and it may be that birth control pills are not the best contraceptive method for you.

Your body knows best when something is not right and it may be that birth control pills are not the best contraceptive method for you.

If you experience any of the above-mentioned symptoms, it’s probably a good idea to schedule a visit with your doctor to discuss options and clarify the root cause.

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The birth control pill is very efficient with perfect use. But how to maximize birth control pill effectiveness.

You Should Never Do These Things While On The Pill

Birth control pills have been around for quite some time and in fact, are being used by tens of millions who try to prevent themselves from getting pregnant. What are the birth control pill facts you should be aware of?

Birth control pills – Things to know

So you’re on the birth control pill but still bothered about getting pregnant. “Just how effective are these medications?” you ask. “What if I use it incorrectly and get pregnant anyway?” Unfortunately, it’s very possible. Following are what you need to avoid to get the most out of your birth control pill of choice.

Starting Late

The most common mistake women make using the pill is beginning their next cycle one or more days late. If you start your next cycle one day late, take two pills rapidly and then one pill per day after that.

In case you delay even more and start two days late, take two pills for each of the next two days and one pill per day after that. If you drop the ball and are three days or more late starting your next cycle, it’s apparently too late for this month. You should quickly switch to another form of temporary birth control and call your doctor for instructions.

Skipping A Day

Another common mistake women make while on birth control pills is forgetting and accidentally skipping a day. Imperfect use, or not taking your birth control when and how you’re supposed to, is the number one reason it fails.

If you miss one day sometime within your cycle, immediately take the pill you missed and continue with the rest of your cycle as planned. This may indicate you have to take more than one pill in a day.

If you miss two pills in a row anytime during your cycle, take two pills the day you remember and two the next, continuing with the rest of your cycle as normal. If this happens, however, you should use a backup form of birth control just to be on the safe side, because you are at risk.


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Avoid Taking Certain Medications

Some drugs can make birth control pills less effective, which may result in pregnancy. A certain antibiotic lessens the efficiency of the hormonal pills and increases the possibility of you getting pregnant. The usage directions of the pill you’re using should include information on the drugs it interacts with, which reduces its efficiency.

Furthermore, when the doctor prescribes any drug treatment, you need to inform him/her that you’re using contraceptives.

Keep It Properly

Don’t keep your pill in the car, in your purse or the bathroom. This is not a great idea.

Birth control pills need to be stored in temperatures less than 25C/77F degrees, or they start to degrade. If you’re not sure, use a backup method, such as condoms, until you start a new, properly stored pack.

Don’t Smoke

Smoking and birth control pills don’t jive. Smoking can increase your risk of heart attack, stroke or blood clots caused by birth control pills, particularly if you are older than 35. By quitting smoking (or never starting), you lower your risks on the pill.

Smoking increases your risk of heart disease, blood clots, and stroke. The more you smoke and the older you are, the higher the risk.

Mistakes while using the pill are not unusual. The first thing you should do is switch to a temporary backup form of birth control or cease sexual intercourse entirely until you’re caught up.

Of course, only your doctor can advise you on whether or not it’s safe for you to take multiple pills on any given day, as there may be adverse hormonal side effects.

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The birth control pill is very efficient with perfect use. But how to maximize birth control pill effectiveness.