Birth Control Guide: Guide to Pills, IUDs & Side Effects

Choosing the right form of birth control involves weighing the advantages of IUDs against the pill, while managing side effects like nausea and spotting.

Woman holding birth control pills, mid section

Does Taking Vitamins Affect Birth Control?

Birth control pills are an essential medication for women who wish to delay pregnancy. Taking vitamins with your birth control may affect how well your birth control works.

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How to Stop Nausea Caused By Birth Control

Hormonal birth control contains estrogen, which can make a woman feel nauseated. This nausea can be prevented by making sure to have food in your stomach when you take the pill, but you should also talk to your doctor about other options.

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Pregnant Woman And Partner Having 4D Ultrasound Scan

The Side Effects of Stopping Birth Control

If you are planning to stop using birth control, you might be in for some side effects. The most obvious consequence is that your fertility may improve, increasing your chance of pregnancy. Other potential side effects depend on the person -- and the birth control method.

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Urine sample

How Do AZO Pills Work?

Azo is the brand name for phenazopyridine hydrochloride. It is also available under other names including Uristat and Pyridium. Azo acts as an analgesic within the urinary tract, so it is commonly recommended for individuals with urinary discomfort from a urinary tract infection (UTI) or recent catheter use.

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woman in bed holding belly suffering menstrual period pain

Side Effects Days After Plan B

Plan B, also known as the “morning after pill,” is actually two pills that contain the hormone levonorgestrel. The first pill is taken within 72 hours of unprotected sex; the second pill is taken 12 hours later. A newer formulation--Plan B OneStep--consists of one pill taken within 72 hours of unprotected sex.

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Birth control pills and calendar

Do Probiotics Affect Birth Control?

Hormonal contraceptives, including the classic birth control pill, shot, ring, patch and "minipill," are very popular methods for preventing unplanned pregnancy. In general, hormone-based birth control methods are safe and associated with few side effects or drug interactions.

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Is it Possible to Take Vitex With Birth Control?

Vitex, a medicinal plant also known as monk's pepper or chasteberry, offers several purported medicinal benefits for women coping with infertility, hormonal disturbances, PMS and breast conditions.

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Cheerful young couple with daughter on the beach

What Is the Importance of Family Planning?

Throughout the majority of history, women and couples had to count solely on prayer and luck for family planning. Some couples who desired children were not able to have them. Other couples have desired fewer children or pregnancies that were spaced farther apart, but had trouble accomplishing this goal.

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Birth Control Long-Term Side Effects

Hormonal birth control has been available to American women since the early 1960s with the introduction of "the pill." Since then, birth control via hormones can also be accomplished with injections, patches, implants and rings, although pills remain the most popular method and the most studied.

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Close up of young woman looking to the side

Hyperpigmentation While on Birth Control

Hormonal birth control methods are effective in preventing pregnancy, but can cause hyperpigmentation in some women. Hyperpigmentation, also called melasma, occurs when changing hormone levels cause patches of brown or grayish skin to appear on the face.

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Birth Control Pills

Weight Loss After Stopping Birth Control Pills

Birth control pills allow women to control their own fertility by preventing unwanted pregnancies. The birth control pill can also regulate menstrual cycles, which is helpful for women with irregular periods, polycystic ovarian syndrome or endometriosis.

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Close up of pharmacist hands holding contraceptive pills

Birth Control & Effects on Periods

Birth control pills are not only a form of contraceptive for women—they also provide additional benefits for the user. Many women use birth control pills to control their period, either to regulate when their period happens, have a lighter period or preventing a period from occurring every month.

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Colorful oral contraceptive pill strips on pine wood table.

Reasons for a Missed Period While on Birth Control Pills

Birth control pills, commonly called "the pill" are used to prevent pregnancy and regulate a woman's menstrual cycle. Typically, a woman will take one active (hormone-containing) pill per day for three weeks, then will take either no pills or sugar pills for one week.

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How to Stop Spotting Between Periods

Spotting between periods is a common ---and often annoying -- part of being female. As many as 9 to 14 percent of menstruating women deal with spotting, according to a January 2012 "American Family Physician" article.

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Healthy Japanese Nigiri Sushi

List of Food & Fruits to Be Avoided in Pregnancy

Following a nutritious diet is an important part of maintaining a healthy pregnancy and giving birth to a healthy baby. However, because you’re immune system is weakened during pregnancy, you’re more susceptible to the harmful effects of bacteria and other food-borne illnesses.

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The Pill and Cervical Cancer: What You Need to Know

When Amanda Saxon found out her pap came back abnormal, her doctor told her not to worry. A woman her age would have no trouble clearing the human papillomavirus, the likely culprit. So the then-21-year-old college student from Tampa, Florida, went back to her normal routine.

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Supplements That May Interfere With Birth Control

Hormonal control of ovulation has been available to women since the early 1960s with the introduction of “the pill.” Initially, dosages of estrogen and progesterone were available only in pill form, but in 2011 they are offered as injections, patches and implants.

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