How effective is birth control and what are the side effects?
Birth Control is used for different reasons whether it be for the practice of preventing unwanted pregnancies, or to also prevent period irregularities. Learn more about birth control and its function in our latest blog post.
How effective is the pill?
If properly used the oral contraceptive is 99% effective. However, it can be easy to forget or miss pills, therefore, the pill is about 91% effective. On average 9 out of 100 birth control users get pregnant each year because of the misusage of the pill.
What can lower the effectiveness of Birth Control?
What can lower the effectiveness of birth control is by not taking it on a daily basis. Other things such as vomiting, or having diarrhea for more than 2 days can also lower the effectiveness of preventing a pregnancy. There are also certain medications that can cause the effectiveness of the pill to diminish such as, certain HIV medicines, anti-seizure medicines, and Rifampin which is an antibiotic.
What are some side effects of Birth Control?
Some side effects of birth control consist of: Nausea, vomiting, weight gain, Skin discoloration, acne, bleeding between periods, mood swings, and changes in menstrual flow. There are some contraceptives that have fewer side effects than others, that is why it is vital to choose one that works best for you.
Have more questions about birth control? Click here to learn more about how birth control can benefit you.
