Birth control pills also known as oral contraceptives are a kind of female hormonal birth control methods. Women use this pill once a day to prevent pregnancy; however there are several side effects of birth control pills.

Birth control pill or simply ‘the pill’ needs to be taken once in a day to prevent pregnancy and they contain human female hormones like estrogens and progesterone.

Although when taken correctly oral contraceptives are one of the most effective birth control methods, however taking the pill may cause some minor side effects in some females but they vary person to person. This is mainly because this birth control method is hormone based and the side effects may vary from slight symptoms to drastically annoying side effects that can push you to leave this method and look for other options of birth control.

Here’s a brief of a few common side effects of using birth control pills:

1. Nausea:
Nausea is the most common side effect of using a birth control pill. It occurs when one starts taking the pill for the first few days and generally the symptoms subsides in a few days. If you take the pill after dinner or along with a bedtime snack then it is least likely to cause any side effect like nausea.

2. Irregular periods:
a. It is also a side effect of taking a hormonal birth control method. The person may see spotting instead of normal bleeding or may face very light bleeding in the first few days of starting the pill.

b. In some cases the bleeding pattern may reverse and the female may undergo bleeding that are heavier and lasts more than a week. In such cases do not discontinue the pill, but always inform your doctor and take his consultation. Always try to take the pill at the same time each day, as it may help to avoid profound bleeding.

3. Severe headaches:
It is yet another disavantages of using a birth control pill. The pill is known to make the headaches caused due to stress or illness even worse and in some conditions it may make the headache better.

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In any case if you feel sever headaches even after ten days of starting the pill then you need to ask your doctor. He may see if your headches are related to the pill and may suggest a low estrogen pill. If you are a migraine patient then always inform your doctor about it, so that he may check whether the pill may be right for you or not.

4. Mood swings:
Mood changes and general feelings of low and high moods can happen to any one and it may occur due to varied reasons. Check if the mood swings are caused due to other reasons. If it is due to the birth control pills that you are taking then you need to speak to your doctor. You may need to switch to some non-hormonal methods of birth control and continue taking good healthy diet to retain your liveliness.

5. Swollen and enlarged breast:
In very rare cases some women may face this side effect of birth control pills. The breasts of the females may become tender or may get larger. Usually the condtion gets better after a few months of use.

6. Weight changes:
Some women may see an increase in their weight as they use the pill. In such cases the females should watch their weight.

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