With so many different brands and types of birth control pills, it can be tough to find the best birth control pill for you. After all, everyone’s body is different, and your medical history and what you’re hoping to use the pill for will help inform which birth control is best for you.
We’ve compared the different types of birth control and their advantages and disadvantages as well as popular brands of the pill so you can better understand which pill might be right for you.
All oral contraceptive pills contain synthetic hormones in them, but not every pill is made equal. There are different types of estrogen and progestogen and various combinations of each that comprise different brands and types of birth control pills.
There is no one answer to this question because everyone’s body is different. That’s why in order to find the best birth control pill for you, you’ll need to review your medical history and needs with a doctor who can help identify which types of hormonal birth control make sense for you to try. Many women will try a few different brands and types of pills before finding the one they like best.
Combination pills have both estrogen and progestogen in them. In general, most combined pills will have ethinylestradiol for its estrogen component in the doses of 20 mcg, 30 mcg, 35 mcg and 50 mcg. There are many different types of progestogens available including levonorgestrel, norethisterone, drospirenone and cyproterone.
The typical combined pill comes in a pack of 28 pills (21 “active” pills and 7 “inactive” pills for the week of your period) or 21 pills. If you have 21-day packs, you don’t take any pills for 7 days at the end of the pack during your period week.
The combined pill is taken orally once per day at the same time everyday. It works by stopping ovulation from happening during a monthly cycle, thickening cervical mucus to prevent sperm from entering the womb and thinning the uterine lining to make it difficult for eggs to implant into the uterine wall.
With perfect use, the combined pill is 99% effective at preventing pregnancy. Perfect use means taking it at the exact same time every single day. However, the way most normal women take it reduces its efficacy down to about 92%.
Beyond preventing pregnancy, the combination pill also helps with:
While many women find success with the combined pill, there are a few disadvantages and side effects to be aware of, including:
The mini pill only has progestogen instead of a combination of both estrogen and progestogen. In Australia, the only option of progestogen for the mini pill is levonorgestrel.
The progestogen-only mini pill comes in a continuous 28 day pill pack. There are no inactive pills, meaning you have to continuously take the progestogen pill every single day. Withdrawal bleeding (your period on the pill) while taking the mini pill can occur erratically with no specific pattern.
Like the combined pill, the mini pill is taken orally once per day at the same time each day. However, it’s much more finicky in its administration and only has a short 3 hour window for you to take the pill before it is considered missed. For comparison, the combined pill has a window of 24 hours before it is considered missed. That’s why it’s super important for women on the mini pill to take it at the exact same time every day to avoid risking getting pregnant.
The mini pill works by thickening the cervical mucus to make it more difficult for sperm to enter the uterus and thinning the uterine lining to prevent implantation. In some women, it also prevents the ovaries from releasing eggs.
Like the combined pill, the mini pill is extremely effective at preventing pregnancy when taken perfectly - 99% effective. However, the way most women take it reduces the effectiveness rate down to 92%.
Other advantages of the mini pill for birth control include:
The mini pill is generally safe to use, but there are a few disadvantages and side effects for this method of birth control to be aware of, like:
Extended cycle birth control pills are combination pills that have both estrogen and progestogen in them. They are designed to have a longer-than-normal cycle length, meaning that you won’t get your period as often as you normally would. Some extended cycle pills will only give you one period every three months.
The extended cycle birth control pill is taken orally once per day at the same time everyday. The difference between these pills and the regular combined pill is the extended cycle pill pack will have 91 days worth of pills: 84 “active” pills and 7 sugar pills for the week of your period.
Like other birth control pills, the extended cycle pill is 99% effective when used perfectly, but drops down to around 92% when used “normally.” Beyond that, the most obvious advantage of the extended cycle pill is that you will only get your period 3 or 4 times per year instead of 12. You may also experience lighter and shorter periods when you do get them.
This is a huge draw for women who have intense period pain, cramps or menstrual headaches as you’ll reduce the number of times you get your period in a year.
Because extended cycle pills are a type of combination pill, you may experience similar side effects such as:
You may also experience spotting and breakthrough bleeding between periods.
The only available brand of extended cycle pill in Australia is Seasonique.
As the name suggests, low dose birth control pills contain a lower dose of hormones than their regular counterparts. They are just as effective in preventing pregnancy, but are believed to cause fewer side effects.
As a combination pill, but with lower doses of hormones than regular combined pills, they work in the same way: preventing ovulation, thickening the cervical mucus to keep sperm from reaching an egg and thinning the uterine lining to make it tough for a fertilised egg to implant. You take it orally at the same time every single day.
When used perfectly, the low dose pill is also 99% effective at preventing pregnancy. When taken as most women do, this rate drops to 92%.
Other advantages and reasons why a doctor might prescribe a low dose pill include:
As with most medications, there are some potential side effects. Most of the potential side effects are similar to ones that you might experience on a higher dose combined pill, like:
Everyone’s body is different, and you might try a few different brands and types of birth control pills before you find your favourite. Talk to your doctor about your medical history, lifestyle and goals with the pill and they will be able to recommend and prescribe the best birth control for your needs.
If you’re already on the pill, you can get your brand delivered for free anywhere in Australia. With Rosemary’s subscription pill service, you get an annual doctor consultation, the same low pharmacy prices and your favourite brand of birth control pill delivered straight to your door. Get a Rosemary annual care plan today and never miss a pill again.
With so many different brands and types of birth control pills, it can be tough to find the best birth control pill for you. After all, everyone’s body is different, and your medical history and what you’re hoping to use the pill for will help inform which birth control is best for you.
We’ve compared the different types of birth control and their advantages and disadvantages as well as popular brands of the pill so you can better understand which pill might be right for you.
All oral contraceptive pills contain synthetic hormones in them, but not every pill is made equal. There are different types of estrogen and progestogen and various combinations of each that comprise different brands and types of birth control pills.
There is no one answer to this question because everyone’s body is different. That’s why in order to find the best birth control pill for you, you’ll need to review your medical history and needs with a doctor who can help identify which types of hormonal birth control make sense for you to try. Many women will try a few different brands and types of pills before finding the one they like best.
