Contraceptive Side Effects

Contraceptives, such as birth control pills, condoms, hormonal injections, are used by millions of women, all around the world, to avoid pregnancy post sexual intercourse. Contraceptives are a boon for womankind, as they have led to their sexual empowerment. At the same time, researches have shown that these birth control methods, do produce a number of side effects in certain women. What are these side effects? Let's find out.

Oral Contraceptives

The birth control pills that women take, consist of two kinds of artificial hormones, namely, estrogens and progestins. When a woman takes these pills, they inhibit ovulation as well as sperm transport. They also change the lining of the uterus, known as endometrium lining, so that even if the woman conceives, she has an early abortion. Oral contraceptives are said to be 90% safe, although they do have some side effects. Here are the side effects of contraceptive pills.

• When birth control pills are taken by a woman, even before she has her first child, it puts her at a risk for breast cancer. The risk for breast cancer increases even more, especially if the woman has been taking the pill for more than four years.
• The woman, by taking birth control pills, puts herself at an increased risk for other types of cancers as well, such as breast, cervical and liver.
• If a woman who is diabetic, takes birth control pills, sugar levels in her body may rise.
• High blood pressure, stroke, depression, migraine, weight gain, blood clots, nausea, breast tenderness, mood swings and heart attacks, are some of the other medical conditions, which a woman can experience due to the intake of oral contraceptive pills.

Hormonal Contraception

Many women opt for hormonal injections as contraceptive methods. Also called "the shot", in this method, a progestin hormone is injected in the woman's muscles, which decreases the ovulation, by blocking the sperm transport as well as changing the endometrium lining.This procedure is repeated every three months in women. Some other hormonal contraceptives used by women are the vaginal inserts as well as the hormone impregnated IUDs (Intrauterine Device). Here are the side effects of all these contraceptive methods.

• Researches have shown that women who use these hormonal contraceptives are at a very high risk of developing breast cancer.
• These contraceptives can also reduce the bone density of a woman and might also increase the cholesterol levels in the body.
• Incidence of developing cervical cancer is higher in women who take hormonal injections.
• Some other commonly experienced side effects of these hormonal contraceptives are an irregular menstrual cycle, pain in the muscles and headaches.
• Researches have also shown that women who take the hormonal injections as a method of contraception, have a very high risk of contracting AIDS, if they indulge in sexual intercourse with a person who is infected with HIV.

Condoms

Condom, a barrier method to avoid conception, is perhaps the safest of all contraceptives, and usually does not have any side effects. Condoms work by blocking the flow of semen in the vagina. The success rate of condoms is pretty high, researches have shown that it is able to prevent pregnancy, in around 85-90% of the cases. Male condoms are made up of latex, and are very effective in providing protection against HIV, AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases. However, some people might be allergic to latex, and hence can develop allergy if they use latex condoms. Secondly, some condoms are treated with lubricants or spermicides, so if these are used, some people might develop an irritation in their genital part because of them.

Despite the above mentioned side effects of contraceptives, which some women might experience, their effectiveness in preventing a pregnancy cannot be overlooked. So, a woman should weigh the pros and cons of each of these birth control methods, before opting for the one that suits her.