Which Birth Control Pill is Right for Me?
Before visiting your doctor, it may be helpful to have an idea of which type of birth control pill sounds right for you.
There are 2 types of oral contraceptives available: combination pills and mini-pills. Both use hormones to suppress ovulation and need to be taken everyday at the same time.
Combinations pills
Combinations pills got their name because they combine two hormones: estrogen and progestin. They involve 28 days (4 weeks) of medication, with 21–24 pills containing active hormone and the remaining pills containing no hormone. During week 4 (the inactive pill), bleeding occurs for 3–7 days. In some cases, the inactive pill contains ethinyl estradiol which reduces unscheduled bleeding and spotting after the first cycle of use and better controls ovarian activity.
Combination pills are mainly for women who have:
- menstrual cramps or premenstrual syndrome (PMS)
- acne
- anemia
- perimenopause symptoms such as hot flashes and night sweats
- polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)—a hormonal disorder that causes infrequent, irregular, or prolonged menstrual periods
- endometriosis—tissue grows outside of the uterus
Mini-pills
Mini-pills contain only progestin. They do not contain any estrogen and have 28 days of active pills in each pack.
Mini-pills are primarily for women who:
- are breastfeeding and shouldn't take estrogen because it decreases milk production.
- have a history of blood clots and/or strokes.
- have migraines with aura are recommended to take progestin-only options because it reduces migraines. Estrogen cannot be used with this type of migraine, due to the risk of stroke.