THE MINIPILL (THE PROGESTOGEN-ONLY PILL): ARE THERE…?
Are there any side effects with the minipill? The most common side effect of the minipill is that periods often become irregular. The time between periods can be shorter or longer than usual. You could even find your periods disappear altogether. You could also have spotting in between periods.
Some women may get headaches or sore breasts. Some women put on weight because the progestogen in the minipill increases their appetite and they eat more, but this is not very common because of the very low dose of hormones in the minipill.
Some women don’t have any side effects at all.
Are there any reasons why I could not use the minipill? There are very few women who shouldn’t ever take the minipill. However, it probably isn’t a good choice for someone who has had cysts on the ovary or a pregnancy in the tube (also called an ‘ectopic pregnancy’) since the minipill can increase the chance of these happening again. There are also some things you should talk over with your doctor before you decide to use it. If you have unusual bleeding from your vagina that hasn’t been diagnosed, or if there is any chance you could be pregnant, both these issues need to be sorted out before you start taking the minipill. You should also tell your doctor if you have liver disease, breast cancer or a disease of your ovaries.
Are there any other things that could cause a problem if I take the minipill? If you have any illness that causes you to vomit or have diarrhoea, you should talk about this too. And tell your doctor if you are on any medication in case it could react with the minipill. But don’t worry, antibiotics don’t lower the effectiveness of the minipill.
There is some evidence that if you weigh more than 70 kilograms the usual dose of the minipill may not be as effective, but you can ask your doctor if this is an issue.
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