Patient's question:
I am only 20 years old, but due to various reasons, I basically have to take emergency contraception pills at least once a month. Is this very bad for my body? What should I do then?Doctor's answer:
Hello:Long-term use of birth control pills can lead to the following side effects:
1. Pseudo-pregnancy-like reactions
Women in the early stages of pregnancy may experience symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, dizziness, fatigue, and loss of appetite, known as pregnancy-like symptoms. Some women may also experience these symptoms in the early stages of taking birth control pills, which are referred to as pseudo-pregnancy-like reactions.
Most short-term birth control pills cause these reactions 5–6 hours after ingestion. To reduce side effects, you can take the pills after dinner or before bed.
Generally, pseudo-pregnancy-like reactions naturally disappear or lessen after taking the pills for 2–3 months.
2. Vaginal bleeding
A few women may experience sudden spotting or menstrual-like bleeding while taking birth control pills. This abnormal bleeding is called "breakthrough bleeding." The cause of vaginal bleeding may be due to missing or delaying a dose of the pill, or the pills may have been exposed to moisture or have had their sugar coating worn off, resulting in insufficient efficacy.
If vaginal bleeding occurs in the first half of the menstrual cycle, it may be caused by insufficient estrogen. The solution is to take one tablet of ethinyl estradiol daily while continuing to take the birth control pills until you have finished all the pills. Increasing estrogen helps regenerate the endometrium, thereby stopping the bleeding. If vaginal bleeding occurs in the second half of the menstrual cycle, it is often caused by insufficient progesterone. In this case, you can take half to a quarter of a birth control pill each night until you have finished the current cycle of pills. If the bleeding is similar to a menstrual period or occurs in the last few days of taking the pills, it can be considered a menstrual period. In this case, stop taking the pills that night, and start the next cycle of pills five days later, continuing to take half to a quarter of a pill each night.