The side effects of contraceptive pills
Release time : 06/13/2025 09:30:02
Contraceptive pills refer to oral contraceptives, which include female and male oral contraceptives.
While contraceptive pills can effectively prevent pregnancy, their long-term use can also pose significant health risks to women. This includes irregular menstrual cycles and an increase in vaginal discharge. Additionally, these medications can cause various discomforting physical symptoms. Therefore, it is advised not to take contraceptive pills but rather opt for condoms as a safer alternative method of contraception.
What are the side effects of contraceptive pills? Contraceptive pills, which are oral contraceptives, can be used by women and men.
Oral contraceptives are one of the primary methods for preventing unintended pregnancies, and in practical terms, women who use oral contraceptives for birth control are more common.
However, medicines are three-point toxic. Long-term use of contraceptives will bring certain harm to women's bodies. However, oral contraceptives are the most convenient method of contraception. Many female friends continue to "take poison" even though they know that contraceptives have great side effects.
Here, taking contraceptives must be followed in accordance with formal procedures, so as to better protect women's health.
Side effects of taking contraceptives: 1. Early pregnancy reactions, which are relatively common and account for about 50% of the number of people taking drugs.
Most of the symptoms are severe first, then mild, and gradually disappear later, which may be related to the body's gradual adaptation.
In the early stages of medication, a few people developed mild early pregnancy reactions, such as nausea, dizziness, weakness, loss of appetite, fatigue, vomiting, etc.
It often occurs in the first to second weeks of medication.
The reason is related to temporary excessive estrogen levels, causing retention of water and sodium in the body and gastrointestinal dysfunction. Generally, after taking the drug for 2 to 3 months, the reaction can naturally disappear or be reduced. Scheduling the medication time before going to sleep in the evening can make the daytime reaction milder.
For those with more severe symptoms, take 20 milligrams of vitamin B6 three times a day.
If there is no relief, consider switching to an estrogen-free contraceptive method.
2. Vaginal discharge increases, often caused by long-term oral contraceptives.
Therefore, these drugs have a high estrogen content. Excessive estrogen can affect the secretory cells of the cervical endometrium, causing them to secrete abundantly and leading to an increase in vaginal discharge.
3. The cause of breast distension is the stimulation of estrogen on the breasts.
4. Menstrual disorders (1) Less menstrual flow or amenorrhea.
The common occurrence of this condition after taking short-term contraceptive pills is due to the drug inhibiting ovulation, resulting in a reduced secretion of estrogen by the ovaries, and the medication contains less estrogen. As a result, the endometrium cannot grow normally, leading to thin endometrium, hence the decreased menstrual flow or even amenorrhea.
Amenorrhea, which means a decrease in menstruation, has no impact on health.
If menstruation is absent for two consecutive months during the medication period, it should be stopped and other contraceptive measures should be taken to prevent pregnancy. Most of them can return to normal.
After taking long-acting contraceptives, the menstrual periods are usually absent. During this period, progesterone drugs such as medroxyprogesterone or norethindrone can be used, or progesterone injections can be given. Alternatively, short-acting contraceptives No. 2 can be taken every night for 5 to 6 days.
The menstrual cycle typically resumes within one week after discontinuing medication.
(2) Bleeding of Breaking Through.
Bleeding during medication administration is most often observed after missing a dose.
A minority of individuals may experience vaginal bleeding even if they have not missed any doses.
If it occurs in the first half of the menstrual cycle, it may be caused by insufficient estrogen. You can add 0.005 - 0.015mg ethinyl estradiol once a day until 22 tablets are taken.
If it occurs in the second half of the menstrual cycle and is caused by progesterone deficiency, you can add 1 short-acting contraceptive tablet No. 1 or No. 2 tablet until 22 tablets are taken.
If the amount of bleeding is as large as menstruation, treat it as menstruation, stop the medication immediately, and start taking the next month's medication on the fifth day after stopping the medication.
The amount of menstruation increases and the period is prolonged.
It often occurs in people taking long-acting oral contraceptives. Hemostatic drugs can be used when there is a lot of bleeding, and testosterone propionate is injected if necessary.
If menstrual volume continues to increase and bleeding continues for more than 3 months, you should stop taking long-acting oral contraceptives and switch to short-acting drugs.
When using long-acting contraceptive injections, menstrual irregularities are commonly observed, such as prolonged periods, heavy bleeding, shortened cycles, unpredictable bleeding, or amenorrhea. This is more common in users who have been on the medication for three months prior to the start of the study.
If you can stick with it, your condition will gradually return to normal.
Should there be bleeding, administration of ethynylestradiol may be continued for a period of three days.
The side effects of contraceptive pills last for how long? Contraceptive pills are oral pills, including female oral pills and male oral pills.
Its contraceptive principle is mainly to inhibit ovulation, change the vaginal mucus so that sperm can not penetrate easily, or reduce the production of liver sugar in the uterine glands so that the zygote cannot survive easily, or change the activity of the uterus and fallopian tubes to block the transportation of fertilized eggs.
A drug that prevents the union of sperm and egg, thus achieving an effective method of contraception.
The duration of side effects from taking contraceptive pills is largely determined by individual physique, as different people have varying susceptibilities. However, it generally does not exceed a month.
Taking contraceptive pills can cause certain side effects, such as disturbance of endocrine balance and menstrual irregularities, even irregular bleeding. If menstrual disorders are severe and not adjusted, they may lead to infertility and affect reproductive health.
In conclusion, regardless of the situation, the side effects of contraceptive pills are significant. By interfering with hormone secretion in the body to achieve contraception, there is harm to the body. In addition to causing menstrual disorders in women and endocrine disorders, it can even lead to infertility.
Therefore, the state stipulates that one cycle of medication can only be taken once per month, and within a year, one can only take 2-3 times. Taking more than this may lead to many side effects.
The side effects of taking contraceptive pills over a long period are quite significant. Despite the fact that they have a high efficacy rate, many people choose to take them due to their popularity. However, the side effects of taking contraceptive pills for a long time are relatively large.
Long-term use of contraceptives may cause the following 6 most common adverse reactions: 1. ** Gastrointestinal reactions **: including nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, etc. 2. ** Breast pain **: Some women may experience breast pain after taking birth control pills. 3. ** Irregular menstruation **: Contraceptives may affect the menstrual cycle and flow, causing irregular menstruation. 4. ** Mood changes **: Some women may experience mood swings or anxiety. 5. ** Weight change **: Contraceptives may cause weight gain or loss. 6. ** Skin problems **: such as acne, dermatitis, etc. Please note that this information is based on general circumstances and not on individual medical advice. When using any medication, follow your doctor's advice and pay close attention to your body's reactions.
Early pregnancy like reactions are more common and account for about 50% of the number of people taking drugs.
Most of the symptoms are severe first, then mild, and gradually disappear later, which may be related to the body's gradual adaptation.
Early pregnancy reactions manifest as early pregnancy reactions such as loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, even fatigue and dizziness, and often occur during the first to second weeks of medication.
This reaction is related to the stimulation of gastric mucosa by estrogen in contraceptives.
2. Vaginal bleeding Many women will experience persistent drip bleeding during medication, or breakthrough bleeding like menstrual volume.
This may be related to missed, delayed, or insufficient contraceptive pills.
If vaginal bleeding occurs in the first half of the menstrual cycle, it often suggests that the estrogen dose is too small.
If it occurs in the latter half of the cycle, it indicates that the progesterone dosage is insufficient to maintain the endometrium.
3. Menstrual irregularities, such as scanty or amenorrhea, are observed in many women who take contraceptives and experience a decrease in the menstrual flow, even leading to amenorrhea.
The contraceptive pill can cause endometrial insufficiency, glandular secretion deficiency, and the endometrium cannot grow normally resulting in thinning of the endometrium and decreased menstrual flow.
Individual women may experience amenorrhea following the cessation of contraceptive pills due to the suppression effect, which is not accompanied by withdrawal bleeding.
4. Weight gain, due to fear of weight increase caused by medication, some women are reluctant to use contraceptives.
Certain ingredients in contraceptive pills can cause weight gain: Androgens can lead to increased appetite or acne, especially within the first three months of taking oral contraceptives.
Estrogen levels are elevated, leading to water and sodium retention, thereby causing weight gain in the second half of menstruation.
Progesterone promotes anabolic metabolism and leads to weight gain.
In fact, the incidence of weight gain is only about 15%.
5. For patients with hyperphagia and acne, it is appropriate to reduce caloric intake and substitute 17-hydroxyprogesterone derivatives such as oral contraceptives No. 2.
If the weight increases in the second half of menstruation, reduce the intake of salt; if the weight increases too much in a short period, stop taking the medicine.
6. Facial pigmentation, some women with a long duration of medication may have the appearance of butterfly spots during pregnancy, which is caused by estrogen-induced pigmentation.
Individuals who have already developed pigmentation during pregnancy are more likely to experience it with the use of contraceptives and are associated with sun exposure.
Contraceptive Pill Usage Precautions: When taking contraceptives, it is essential to be aware of their precautions and strive to minimize the side effects of using them. The primary side effects of contraceptive pills include: 1. It is imperative to maintain accurate, timely, and consistent dosing habits when taking various contraceptives, and one must not arbitrarily alter or extend the duration of medication administration.
Do not skip or delay taking the medication; if missed, take it the next day to avoid irregular bleeding or failure in contraception.
2. Contraceptives should be properly stored and kept out of the reach of children.
If the tablets are damp, melted, or if the coating is chipped or crushed, do not take them and avoid influencing contraceptive effect or causing vaginal bleeding.
3. Long-term contraceptives should be taken under the guidance of a physician.
The duration of medication is usually 6-7 years for short-acting drugs and 3-4 years for long-acting drugs.
The contraceptive pill can be taken up to two times a year.
Can be used in combination with other contraceptive methods.
4. Patients suffering from acute or chronic hepatitis, nephritis, tumors, diabetes, thrombotic diseases, heart diseases, and severe hypertension are not allowed to take this product.
Women who are breastfeeding or aged above 45 years should not take it within six months after childbirth.
Should a pregnancy occur during the period of medication administration, termination of the pregnancy should be undertaken.
When considering childbearing, it is recommended to take medication for six months before pregnancy to prevent the birth of a congenital malformation.
How to Prevent Side Effects of Contraceptives Most people do not experience any problems with oral contraceptives, but a small number may develop side effects due to individual differences. However, this is negligible and can be managed with appropriate treatment.
1. Early pregnancy symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, and anorexia after taking oral contraceptives may be caused by the estrogen in the contraceptive pills stimulating the gastric mucosa. This is a temporary phenomenon that will naturally subside once the gastric mucosa adapts to this stimulation.
People who have a strong reaction should take some control of this reaction by taking some medicines, such as vitamin B6 and scopolamine. Or they can eat some foods rich in vitamin B6, such as meat, liver, egg etc.
2. In some individuals, taking oral contraceptives (especially short-acting ones) may lead to menstrual irregularities. In mild cases, treatment is not necessary.
Amenorrhea of over two months' duration is considered severe and requires the use of alternative contraceptive measures. Concurrently, a daily dose of 50 milligrams of cloprostenol should be taken for five consecutive days, followed by another five days for the following month, continuing this regimen for three months to achieve improvement.
3. Contraceptive pills that cause bleeding may result in uterine bleeding if missed.
If occurring in the premenstrual period, take 0.05-0.15 mg of ethinylestradiol until all 22 tablets are taken.
If it occurs in the latter half of the menstrual period, one tablet of contraceptive pill may be taken each night until 22 tablets are finished.
If possible, consuming foods rich in iron such as animal liver and blood would be even better.
4. Certain women experience pregnancy spots after taking contraceptives, but these pigmentation spots are not specific to pregnancy. They can occur when the levels of estrogen and progesterone in the body increase.
For this pigmented spot, as long as you stop stopping the pill, it will gradually fade away.
If you add some fresh vegetables and fruits rich in Vitamin C, such as greens, cabbage, celery, tomatoes and oranges, the dark spots will disappear quicker.
*The medical information provided in this text is for reading and reference only.
In case of discomfort, it is recommended to seek immediate medical attention for accurate diagnosis and treatment.