Yaz

• Have high blood pressure that isn’t well controlled
• Are over 35 and smoke
• Have a history of stroke, heart disease, circulation problems, or breast cancer
• Started breastfeeding within the past month
• Have migraine headaches with aura
• Have diabetes-related complications like nephropathy, retinopathy, or neuropathy
• Recently had surgery
• Have liver disease
• Have unexplained uterine bleeding

• Headaches
• Nausea
• Sore breasts
• Changes in your periods (early, late, or stopping altogether while on the pill)
• Spotting (bleeding between periods or brown discharge)
• Mood changes, including a change in sex drive
• Skin changes like acne
• The good news is that these side effects usually go away in 2-3 months. So, if you just started the pill and you have side effects that bother you, try to stick it out and give your body a chance to adjust to the hormones.

• Use a birth control reminder app or set an alarm on your phone.
• Keep your pill pack next to something you use every day (like your toothbrush or phone charger).
• Keep your pills in your bag so they’re always with you.
• Be pill buddies with friends or family members who also take medicine every day and help each other remember.
• Your partner can help remind you.

• If you just missed one, take it as soon as you remember. If you don’t remember until the next day, go ahead and take 2 pills that day.
• If you forget to take your pills for 2 days, take 2 pills the day you remember and 2 pills the next day. You will then be back on schedule.
• If you miss more than 2 birth control pills, call your doctor for instructions. You may need to take one pill daily until Sunday and then start a new pack. Or you might need to throw out the rest of the pill pack and start over with a new pack that same day.
• Any time you forget to take a pill, you must use another form of birth control until you finish the pill pack. When you forget to take a birth control pill, you increase the chance of releasing an egg from your ovary.

You can also use a condom every time you have penis-in-vagina sex. That way you’ll be protected from STDs too. This is especially important if you are taking any other medications that may reduce the efficacy of oral contraceptives.

• The main thing that makes the pill not work is not taking it every day.
• Vomiting or having diarrhea for more than 48 hours (2 days) may lower how well the pill prevents pregnancy.

• These medicines or supplements can also make the pill not work as well:

  • The antibiotic Rifampin (other antibiotics don’t make the pill less effective)
  • The antifungal Griseofulvin (other antifungals don’t make the pill less effective)
  • Certain HIV medicines
  • Certain anti-seizure medicines (these are sometimes also used to treat psychiatric disorders like bipolar disorder)
  • The herb St. John’s Wort

• If you take any of these while you’re on the pill, use condoms as a backup method. Switch to a different method of birth control if you’ll be on them for a long time.