| Low-dose birth control pills are safe and effective hormonal methods of birth control. Most pills combine estrogen and progestin. Some are progestin-only. Both hormones can cause uncomfortable side effects for some women — everything from the blues, bloating, and breast tenderness to irregular bleeding and vomiting. These discomforts are not dangerous and usually go away in three months.
When scientists first invented the pill, they wanted to be very sure it worked. It turns out that they used more hormone than most women need — up to 1,000 times more!
Since then, the FDA has approved many different brands of low-dose pills. Each has slightly different levels of hormones. Most women do well with any of them and shouldn't have significant side effects after the first three months. A small number of women may have a side effect that won't go away. Their clinicians can identify certain brands that may relieve particular discomforts.
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