It will help you know what wahala each brings with it and assist you in making a better-informed decision.
1. The Oral Contraception Pill
Basically, the oral contraception pill is a highly effective method of birth control. It is required to be taken at the same time daily for maximum results.
‘The pill’ may also be taken for non-contraceptive medical purposes to address issues like:
- Regulation of irregular menstrual periods
- Menorrhagia (heavy periods)
- Dysmenorrhea (painful periods)
- Endometriosis
- Acne, hirsutism (excess hair growth), and alopecia (hair loss)
- Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) and premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD)
- Decreasing the risk of breast cysts, ovarian cysts, pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), and pregnancies in the fallopian tubes.
Common Side Effects Of Oral Contraceptive Pill
Sadly, one of the side-effects of contraceptive pills is that ‘the other room activities’ may reduce. This comes as a result of decreased libido.
Others are, intermenstrual spotting, nausea, breast tenderness, headaches, weight gain, mood changes, missed periods, vaginal discharge, and visual changes with contact lenses.
To minimise your risks of serious side effects, be sure to inform your doctor if you:
- recently had a baby
- are breastfeeding
- are taking medication for epilepsy
- feel depressed or have been diagnosed with depression
- are diabetic
- have high cholesterol
- have kidney, liver, or heart disease
- recently had a miscarriage or abortion
Also, let your doctor know if you have a history of:
- Allergic reactions to anesthetics or antiseptics
- Depression
- Diabetes
- Gallbladder disease
- High blood pressure
- High cholesterol or high triglycerides
- Seizures or epilepsy
2. The Contraceptive Implant
Although not appropriate for everyone (especially individuals with BMI higher than 30), contraceptive implants offer effective, long-term contraception.
Indeed, it is a popular choice for women needing to install a birth control system that eliminates the need to interrupt sex for contraception, Furthermore, this can be removed at any time, followed by a quick return to fertility.
However, side effects associated with contraceptive implants include:
- Abdominal or back pain
- Weight gain
- An increased risk of noncancerous ovarian cysts
- Changes in vaginal bleeding patterns, including amenorrhea (absence of menstruation)
- Decreased libido
- Dizziness
- Headaches
- Mild insulin resistance
- Mood swings and depression
- Nausea or upset stomach
- Sore breasts
- Vaginal inflammation or dryness
3. The Contraceptive Injection
The injection is a great alternative for you if you hate swallowing tablets or are looking to use a birth control method that isn’t estrogen-based.
However, the side effects include:
- Menstrual cycle changing to become irregular, heavier, shorter, lighter, or stop altogether – this can carry on for some months after you stop the injections.
- Potential delay of up to 1 year before your periods return to normal and you can become pregnant
- Weight gain
- Other side effects like headaches, acne, hair loss, decreased sex drive, and mood swings
- Although small, there’s a risk of infection at the site of the injection. In rare cases, some people may have an allergic reaction to the injection.
- Using contraceptive injection affects your natural estrogen levels, which can cause thinning of the bones.
However, it does not increase your risk of breaking a bone. Most importantly, this is not a problem for most women because the bone replaces itself when you stop the injection.
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Also, it does not appear to cause any long-term problems.
And sometimes the doctor may recommend that you stop after 2 years so there’s no long-term effect on your bones.
4. IUD
As with any other birth control method, there are pros and cons you’ll have to weigh before making your decision whether or not to use the IUD birth control option.
IUDs have the following side effects:
- Irregular and heavier periods and more painful cramps
- Increased risk for STIs
- Although only in rare situations, an IUD can penetrate the uterine wall, and if pregnancy does occur with an IUD in place, there is increased risk to the pregnancy.
5. The Morning-after Pill
The morning-after pill is another popular type of emergency birth control option.
It is mostly used as emergency contraception to prevent pregnancy for women who’ve had unprotected sex or whose birth control method is questionable.
The morning-after pill isn’t safe for use if:
- You’re allergic to any component of the pill
- You’re on certain medications that can decrease the effectiveness of the morning-after pill, e.g., St. John’s wort.
Basically, the side effects of the morning-after pill, which typically last only a few days, include:
- Headache
- Nausea or vomiting
- Dizziness
- Fatigue
- Breast tenderness
- Bleeding between periods or heavier menstrual bleeding
- Abdominal cramps
Get more resources on birth control options and motherhood here.
