Health Forum

What's the difference between a "Low Dosage" birth control pill and a "High dosage/Regular" birth control pill?

Are they (low) just as effective as the other ones?

I'd always been on the regular dosage and just switched to low. No pregnancy scares on either dosage. At the higher dose, my skin was clearer but I was more prone to pre-menstrual migraines. My skin is breaking out more on low-dose, but I hardly ever get headaches now.

Nandos

i dunno

It isn't really low or high it is the type of hormones used. In normal contraceptive pills, you get a dose of man made Estrogen and maybe also man made progesterone. This is very effective and mimics pregnancy in effect preventing ovulation and stopped real pregnancy.

Low dose contraceptive pills are really man made progesterone only. They are also known as the mini pill. this pill is much safer and older women can take it also. However, not all P.o.p as they are known, prevent ovulation, they merely thicken the mucus and stop the sperm entering the uterus. So pregnancy can still occur, but they are still pretty effective too - about 89%

Your health adviser will help you decide which is best for you.

I was on Ortho Tri Cyclen for 2 years before switching to Ortho Tri Cyclen Lo for another 2 years. Both of these pills are over 99% effective when used correctly. I took the pills on time every single day and never got pregnant. I prefer Ortho Tri Cyclen Lo because I had less irregular bleeding, less menstrual cramps and less yeast infections while on them.