How to use mini pills and their advantages.

The minipill is a type of birth control pill. It’s made with progestin, a man-made form of the hormone progesterone your body makes.

Regular birth control pills have progestin and a second female hormone called estrogen. They’re known as combination birth control pills. The minipill has a lower dose of progestin. And because it doesn’t have estrogen, the minipill may have fewer side effects.

How It Works

The minipill prevents pregnancy in several ways. It thickens the mucus inside the cervix. This makes it hard for sperm to travel to the egg. It also thins the lining of the uterus. This helps keep the fertilized egg from implanting itself. Like regular birth control pills, it also helps prevent ovulation. This is when the ovary releases an egg. But the minipill doesn’t block eggs as well as combination pills. So it’s slightly less effective in preventing pregnancies.

Why Take It

You may want to go with the minipill if you:

Breastfeed . With estrogen in combination birth control pills, you may not make as much breastmilk. Your doctor may recommend the minipill if you plan to nurse your baby.

Are over 35 and smoke, have high blood pressure, or have a history of blood clots. The minipill may be safer for you to take than combination birth controlpills.

Want to avoid estrogen. The hormone may interact with other medicine you take. Estrogen also can give some women stomach pain or bad headaches.

Have dermatitis. The minipill may help treat this skin condition. Dermatitiscauses red, swollen, sore skin. It may be linked with your menstrual cycle.

Who Should Avoid the Minipill?

The minipill isn’t right for every woman. Your doctor may suggest you avoid it if you have:

• Breast cancer or had it before
• Liver disease
• Had weight loss surgery
• Any trouble taking the pill at the same time every day
• Uterine bleeding and don’t know why
• To take drugs for conditions like tuberculosis, HIV or AIDS, or seizures

How to Take It

The minipill comes in a pack of 28. Unlike combination birth control pills, there’s no row of inactive, or placebo, pills. It’s important to take the minipill every day and at the same time each day. Your body clears progestin more quickly than the hormones in combination birth control pills. If you take the minipill more than 3 hours outside of your usual time, it may not work as well to prevent pregnancy. If you miss the 3-hour window, use a condom or don't have sex for the next 2 days.