Contraception Health Article

Risks

Many methods of birth control have side effects. Knowing the side effects can help a woman to determine which method of birth control is right for her. There is no perfect form of birth control. Every method has a small failure rate and side effects. Some methods carry additional risks. However, every method of birth control has fewer risks than pregnancy. The risks include:

• Hormonal methods: The hormones in birth control pills, Depo Provera, and Norplant can cause changes in menstrual periods, changes in mood, weight gain, acne, and headaches. In addition, once a woman stops using Depo Provera or Norplant, she may go many months before she begins ovulating again.
• Barrier methods: A woman must insert the diaphragm in just the right way to be sure that it works properly. Some women get more urinary tract infections if they use a diaphragm because the diaphragm can press against the urethra, the tube that connects the bladder to the outside.

• Spermicides: Some women and men are allergic to spermicides or find them irritating to the skin.
• IUD: The device is a foreign object that stays inside the uterus, and the uterus tries to get it out. A woman may have heavier menstrual periods and more menstrual cramping with an IUD in place.
• Tubal ligation: Some women report increased menstrual discomfort after this surgery. It is not known if this side effect is related to the tubal ligation itself.