Contraception Reviews

Combination birth control pill vs Hormonal IUD

Combination birth control pill

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Hormonal IUD

Want to switch birth control?

Overview

Rated 3.4

97 reviews

Daily

Frequency

91% - 99+%

Effectiveness

Increased

Blood clot risk

None

Effect on fertility

Rated 3.6

44 reviews

3 - 8 years

Frequency

Over 99%

Effectiveness

None

Blood clot risk

None

Effect on fertility

Combination pill ingredients

Main hormones in Combination pill

estrogen


Hormonal IUD ingredients

Main hormones in Hormonal IUD

progestin

What Lowdown reviewers say

Mood

29% no impact on mood

Bleeds

30% lighter periods

Sex drive

39% lost sex drive

Weight

42% no impact

Skin

41% improved skin

Cycle return

40% in 1 month

Mood

43% no impact on mood

Bleeds

50% stopped periods

Sex drive

43% no impact

Weight

50% no impact

Skin

41% no impact on skin

Cycle return

50% in 1 month

Benefits: What this birth control can help with

Acne or bad skin

Heavy periods

PMS and PMDD

PCOS symptoms

Period pain

Adenomyosis

Endometriosis

Heavy periods

Menopause

Period pain

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Check out our latest reviews

Real life reviews from people like you

Combination birth control pill reviews

97 reviews

Combination birth control pill  
Used for 18 mo - 3 yr
24 years old
🇺🇸 US
  •  today

Vienva birth control pill  

My moods increased, I lost 50 lbs, and my acne got better. I was using Aviane before this and I was ovulating on it. Since switching to Vienva I have not had any issues.

Read more

Very positive mood

3 more effects

0 helpful

0 comments

Combination birth control pill  
Used for 5 - 8 yr
26 years old
🇺🇸 US
  •  1 month ago

Kurvelo birth control pill  

I’ve experienced these issues around or during my period


Improved skin

1 more effect

0 helpful

0 comments

Combination birth control pill  
Used for 6 - 12 mo
Lowdown user
🇺🇸 US
  •  1 month ago

Junel Fe 1/20 birth control pill  

Had nausea the first week of both months 1 and 2. Only side effect was significant breast and butt enlargement, which led me to stop taking it.


Top side effects not reported

0 helpful

0 comments

Combination birth control pill  
Used for 18 mo - 3 yr
24 years old
🇺🇸 US
  •  today

Vienva birth control pill  

My moods increased, I lost 50 lbs, and my acne got better. I was using Aviane before this and I was ovulating on it. Since switching to Vienva I have not had any issues.


Very positive mood

3 more effects

0 helpful

0 comments

Combination birth control pill  
Used for 5 - 8 yr
26 years old
🇺🇸 US
  •  1 month ago

Kurvelo birth control pill  

I’ve experienced these issues around or during my period


Improved skin

1 more effect

0 helpful

0 comments

Combination birth control pill  
Used for 6 - 12 mo
Lowdown user
🇺🇸 US
  •  1 month ago

Junel Fe 1/20 birth control pill  

Had nausea the first week of both months 1 and 2. Only side effect was significant breast and butt enlargement, which led me to stop taking it.


Top side effects not reported

0 helpful

0 comments


Hormonal IUD reviews

44 reviews

Hormonal IUD  
Used for 12 - 18 mo
17 years old
🇺🇸 US
  •  2 weeks ago

Mirena IUD  

If you are considering the hormonal IUD route, I highly encourage you to read this! I primarily chose to switch over to the Mirena due to the weight gain I experienced while on the pill. To preface, I never had any issues with vaginal dryness prior to the switch. Following the insertion, I have been almost completely unable to get wet. As I stated before, this was never a problem for me regardless of arousal. It has been over a year, and without using an external lubricant, I physically cannot have sex due to the severity of this issue. It can be humiliating if the person i’m getting with isn’t aware of the causation. Just wanted to make it known, because it’s impacted my life pretty significantly.


Somewhat positive mood

0 helpful

0 comments

Hormonal IUD  
Used for 12 - 18 mo
Lowdown user
🇺🇸 US
  •  5th Jan 25

Mirena IUD  

I took this for endometriosis and it dialed my pain and symptoms down from a 9 to a 2-3, for a whole year. Unfortunately after a year I felt the pain begin to creep back in, a little more intense every month after that year mark, so I decided to pursue excision surgery as a more permanent solution. If you’re not ready for surgery but want endo relief, definitely encourage you to give Mirena a try!


Improved skin

0 helpful

0 comments

Hormonal IUD  
Used for 1 - 3 mo
46 years old
🇺🇸 US
  •  4th Jan 25

Kyleena IUD  

I just had it inserted yesterday.


Top side effects not reported

0 helpful

0 comments

Hormonal IUD  
Used for 12 - 18 mo
17 years old
🇺🇸 US
  •  2 weeks ago

Mirena IUD  

If you are considering the hormonal IUD route, I highly encourage you to read this! I primarily chose to switch over to the Mirena due to the weight gain I experienced while on the pill. To preface, I never had any issues with vaginal dryness prior to the switch. Following the insertion, I have been almost completely unable to get wet. As I stated before, this was never a problem for me regardless of arousal. It has been over a year, and without using an external lubricant, I physically cannot have sex due to the severity of this issue. It can be humiliating if the person i’m getting with isn’t aware of the causation. Just wanted to make it known, because it’s impacted my life pretty significantly.


Somewhat positive mood

0 helpful

0 comments

Hormonal IUD  
Used for 12 - 18 mo
Lowdown user
🇺🇸 US
  •  5th Jan 25

Mirena IUD  

I took this for endometriosis and it dialed my pain and symptoms down from a 9 to a 2-3, for a whole year. Unfortunately after a year I felt the pain begin to creep back in, a little more intense every month after that year mark, so I decided to pursue excision surgery as a more permanent solution. If you’re not ready for surgery but want endo relief, definitely encourage you to give Mirena a try!


Improved skin

0 helpful

0 comments

Hormonal IUD  
Used for 1 - 3 mo
46 years old
🇺🇸 US
  •  4th Jan 25

Kyleena IUD  

I just had it inserted yesterday.


Top side effects not reported

0 helpful

0 comments

Hormonal IUD  
Used for 1 - 3 mo
26 years old
🇺🇸 US
  •  20th Dec 24

Mirena IUD  

Just got this inserted early November. It's December and Im experiencing a month of bleeding, cramps, irritability, nausea, headaches, dizziness, feeling unwell everyday.


Very negative mood

1 more effect

3 helpful

0 comments

Hormonal IUD  
Used for 18 mo - 3 yr
Lowdown user
🇺🇸 US
  •  7th Nov 24

Hormonal IUD  

Caused increased anxiety, extreme cystic acne that did not respond to prescription acne treatments, and severe hair loss. Made my periods longer and heavier at first, then they finally started getting lighter but I was still spotting almost every day. Gave me hot flashes badly.


Very negative mood

2 more effects

0 helpful

0 comments

Hormonal IUD  
Used for 3 - 6 mo
Lowdown user
🇺🇸 US
  •  23rd Oct 24

Kyleena IUD  

Didn't use it long enough to really form an opinion yet, but the reason I got it in the first place was because of very heavy periods and cramps. It has helped with that.


Somewhat negative mood

0 helpful

0 comments

Hormonal IUD  
Used for 12 - 18 mo
Lowdown user
🇺🇸 US
  •  4th Aug 24

Mirena IUD  

After 14 months I pretty much don't have a period, but I still have light to moderate cramping a couple of times a month.


Top side effects not reported

1 helpful

0 comments

Hormonal IUD  
Used for 18 mo - 3 yr
Lowdown user
🇺🇸 US
  •  29th Jul 24

Mirena IUD  

Great experience, insertion cramping was minimal. Got pregnant 4 months after removal.


Somewhat negative mood

0 helpful

0 comments

Hormonal IUD  
Used for 18 mo - 3 yr
Lowdown user
🇺🇸 US
  •  28th May 24

Kyleena IUD  

Getting it in hurt briefly, but tolerable. The first period after getting it was early and super intense, and I continued having spotting most days for the first three months or so, but bleeding dwindled over time and by a year later I was barely getting periods at all, which was great.


Top side effects not reported

0 helpful

0 comments

Hormonal IUD  
Used for 3 - 5 yr
Lowdown user
🇺🇸 US
  •  24th May 24

Kyleena IUD  

I have been on kyleena almost 5 years, January 2025 it will be 5 and little to no problems. But I didn't know there was a mucus discharge, had thought I always had a yeast infection. Almost time to get a new one and I've started spotting again.


Increased sex drive

1 more effect

0 helpful

0 comments

Birth control alternatives and comparisons

Compare the Combination birth control pill with other birth control

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