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Minipill (Progestin only)

Effectiveness:

• Typical use: 95%
• Perfect use: 99.5%
• Failure rate increased for women who take seizure medications
• Use backup method: every time a pill is missed or taken late (even 3 hours late!)

Advantages:

• No estrogen in the minipill
• Scanty menses or no menses
• Decreased menstrual cramps and ovulation associated pain
• Decreased risk of endometrial cancer, ovarian cancer, and pelvic inflammatory disease (PID)
• Management of pain associated with endometriosis
• May get pregnant very quickly after discontinuing minipill
• Minipill is taken every day and does not have a pill-free week
• May breastfeed while taking progestin-only pills (minipill)
• Reduces thrombotic complications in older women

Disadvantages:

• Menstrual cycle disturbance (menstrual irregularity)
• Does not protect against HIV and other STD's
• Side effects include: weight gain, breast tenderness, and depression
• Less effective than other birth control pills when not taken regularly
• Certain medications will affect the effectiveness of low-dose
  contraceptives