Side Effects
1. Vaginal bleeding
Irregular vaginal bleeding or spotting may occur while you are taking the pills. Irregular bleeding may vary
from slight staining between menstrual periods to breakthrough bleeding which is a flow much like a regular period. Irregular bleeding occurs most often during the first few months of oral contraceptive use, but may also occur after you have been taking the pill for some time. Such bleeding may be temporary and usually does not indicate any serious problems. It is important to continue taking your pills on schedule. If the bleeding occurs in more than one cycle or lasts for more than a few days, talk to your doctor or health care provider.
2. Contact lenses
If you wear contact lenses and notice a change in vision or an inability to wear your lenses, contact your
doctor or health care provider.
3. Fluid retention
Oral contraceptives may cause edema (fluid retention) with swelling of the fingers or ankles and may raise
your blood pressure. If you experience fluid retention, contact your doctor or health care provider.
4. Melasma
A spotty darkening of the skin is possible, particularly of the face, which may persist.
5. Other side effects
Other side effects may include nausea and vomiting, change in appetite, headache, nervousness, depression,
dizziness, loss of scalp hair, rash, and vaginal infections.
If any of these side effects bother you, call your doctor or health care provider.
Warning Signals
If any of these adverse effects occur while you are taking oral contraceptives, call your doctor immediately:
o Sharp chest pain, coughing of blood, or sudden shortness of breath (indicating a possible clot in the lung).
o Pain in the calf (indicating a possible clot in the leg) .
o Crushing chest pain or heaviness in the chest (indicating a possible heart attack) .
o Sudden severe headache or vomiting, dizziness or fainting, disturbances of vision or speech, weakness,
or numbness in an arm or leg (indicating a possible stroke) .
o Sudden partial or complete loss of vision (indicating a possible clot in the eye) .
o Breast lumps (indicating possible breast cancer or fibrocystic disease of the breast (ask your doctor or
health care provider to show you how to examine your breasts) .
o Severe pain or tenderness in the stomach area (indicating a possibly ruptured liver tumor) .
o Difficulty in sleeping, weakness, lack of energy, fatigue, or change in mood (possibly indicating severe
depression) .
o Jaundice or a yellowing of the skin or eyeballs, accompanied frequently by fever, fatigue, loss of appetite,
dark colored urine, or light colored bowel movements (indicating possible liver problems). Contact your doctor or clinic.
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