Common side effects when taking birth control pills

the question

What are the common side effects of taking birth control pills, both short and long term?

The answer

The immediate side effects of oral contraceptives are: bloating, nausea, tenderness of the breasts, changes in mood. These symptoms usually subsided after a few months. Other long-term side effects are increased blood clotting with increased risk of thrombophlebitis (eg, blood clots in the deep veins of the leg, blood clots in the brain arteries). This phenomenon occurs when other risk factors exist, usually only in women smokers over the age of 35.

The pill also raises blood pressure, raises cholesterol and increases insulin resistance and blood sugar. For cancer, although the information is somewhat confusing, large epidemiological studies have not shown a link between taking birth control pills and the development of breast cancer. On the other hand, there was a link between taking birth control pills and a slight increase in the risk of cervical cancer, However, taking the pill causes a lower risk of ovarian cancer and uterine cancer.

In general, oral contraceptives have no adverse effect on public health, and the proportion of deaths among women who took oral contraceptives compared with women who did not take them was equal in the group of women who smoked more than 15 cigarettes a day and took birth control pills. The mortality rate was relatively high compared to those who did not take the pill.