Minipill - Benefits Drawbacks and Contraindications

This is in continuation with the previous post - Types Of Oral Contraceptive Pills - A comparison in which we learnt about the three different types of oral pills namely monophasic combined pills, triphasic combined pills and the progestogen only pill or minipill. Let's see what the advantages of minipill over combined pills are, its drawbacks and contraindications.


Advantages of Minipill/POP


1. Since it does not contain the hormone oestrogen therefore the side effects related to oestrogen hormone are not present. Therefore it can be used by the women in whom combined pills are contraindicated. So, it can be used by women having:

• High blood pressure
• Fibroid
• Diabetes
• Epilepsy
• Smoking
• History of thromboembolism (clot formation in a blood vessel)

2. It can be given to the lactating women since it does not suppress milk production. Hence the name given 'Lactation Pill'


Disadvantages of Minipill/POP


Some drawbacks may be associated with the use of Minipill such as:

• Irregular bleeding
• Amenorrhoea or absence of menstruation
• Ectopic pregnancy i.e. when the fertilized ovum in implanted a site other than the uterus.
• Headache
• Increased weight gain
• Failure rate is somewhat higher than combined pills

Contraindications to the use of Minipill

• Previous ectopic pregnancy
• Ovarian cyst
• Breast cancer
• Genital cancers
• Abnormal bleeding from vagina
• Liver disease
• Porphyria i.e a metabolic disorder
• With the use of certain drugs

Also read:


Types Of Oral Contraceptive Pills - A Comparison