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Common Oral Contraceptives in Australia
Millions of Australian women use the birth control pill every month. You should work closely with your doctor to ensure that you find a pill that best suits your needs.
In Australia, there are two primary types of oral contraceptive pills (also known as ‘the Pill’):
- The combined pill – contains two hormones to stop the ovaries from releasing an egg each month.
- The progestogen-only pill – also known as mini pill that contains one hormone that changes the mucus in the cervix to block the sperm from reaching the egg
Oral Contraceptives Side Effects
Many women use birth control pills without any side effects. However, upon taking the first pill some might experience side effects that include:
- Nausea
- Tender breasts
- Weight gain
- Loss of libido
- Mood changes
Oral Contraceptive pills should not be prescribed to women who are:
- Less than 6 weeks post birth
- Smoker over the age of 35 (Greater than 15 cigarettes a day)
- Current or Past history of Blood Clots
- Cardiac problems
- Previous history of Stroke
- Migraine Headache with Aura
- Current Breast Cancer
- Diabetes with Eye, Kidney and Nerve complications
- Severe Liver Disease
- Liver Tumour
To understand more about Oral Contraceptives please contact a Specialist GP today