Natural family planning vs Combination birth control pill
Natural family planning ingredients
Combination pill ingredients
Main hormones in Combination pill
estrogen
What Lowdown reviewers say
29% no impact on mood
69% stopped periods
55% lost sex drive
48% gained weight
58% no impact on skin
38% don’t know impact
28% no impact on mood
31% lighter periods
39% lost sex drive
42% no impact
40% improved skin
38% in 1 month
Check out our latest reviews
Real life reviews from people like you
Natural family planning reviews
5 reviews
Used for 3 - 6 mo
Lowdown user
🇺🇸 US
• 1 month ago
Very positive mood
1 more effect
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 18 mo - 3 yr
Lowdown user
🇺🇸 US
• 28th Dec 23
Overall, I felt that this was a safer option. I only switched to the mini pill in an effort to get a handle on my PCOS pelvic pain.
Top side effects not reported
1 helpful
0 comments
Used for 3 - 5 yr
Lowdown user
🇺🇸 US
• 25th Jul 23
I was previously on the contraceptive pill, and as soon as i came off it i was immediately more in tune with my body, could feel the sex drive boost around ovulation etc and lost the weight the pill had put on me.
Very positive mood
2 more effects
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 3 - 6 mo
Lowdown user
🇺🇸 US
• 1 month ago
Very positive mood
1 more effect
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 18 mo - 3 yr
Lowdown user
🇺🇸 US
• 28th Dec 23
Overall, I felt that this was a safer option. I only switched to the mini pill in an effort to get a handle on my PCOS pelvic pain.
Top side effects not reported
1 helpful
0 comments
Used for 3 - 5 yr
Lowdown user
🇺🇸 US
• 25th Jul 23
I was previously on the contraceptive pill, and as soon as i came off it i was immediately more in tune with my body, could feel the sex drive boost around ovulation etc and lost the weight the pill had put on me.
Very positive mood
2 more effects
0 helpful
0 comments
Combination birth control pill reviews
102 reviews
Used for 5 - 8 yr
Lowdown user
🇺🇸 US
• 2 weeks ago
No see drive. Gained 15 pounds over 6 years, mostly at the start. Can't seem to lose weight. It's the only bc pill that doesn't seem to affect my heart arrhythmia. Got pregnant twice on this stuff though!
Somewhat negative mood
3 more effects
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 1 - 3 mo
24 years old
🇺🇸 US
• 2 weeks ago
I actually really enjoyed the effect Estarylla had on my mood. It helped me through PPD (in combination with prenatals and exercise). However, it gave me nasty cystic acne, so I had to switch. Other birth controls have messed with my mood negatively, so I was really bummed to give this one up after the positive effect it had. The sex was good, too.
Somewhat positive mood
1 more effect
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 1 - 3 mo
43 years old
🇺🇸 US
• 2 weeks ago
Somewhat positive mood
1 more effect
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 5 - 8 yr
Lowdown user
🇺🇸 US
• 2 weeks ago
No see drive. Gained 15 pounds over 6 years, mostly at the start. Can't seem to lose weight. It's the only bc pill that doesn't seem to affect my heart arrhythmia. Got pregnant twice on this stuff though!
Somewhat negative mood
3 more effects
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 1 - 3 mo
24 years old
🇺🇸 US
• 2 weeks ago
I actually really enjoyed the effect Estarylla had on my mood. It helped me through PPD (in combination with prenatals and exercise). However, it gave me nasty cystic acne, so I had to switch. Other birth controls have messed with my mood negatively, so I was really bummed to give this one up after the positive effect it had. The sex was good, too.
Somewhat positive mood
1 more effect
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 1 - 3 mo
43 years old
🇺🇸 US
• 2 weeks ago
Somewhat positive mood
1 more effect
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 1 - 3 mo
28 years old
🇺🇸 US
• 3 weeks ago
Top side effects not reported
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 6 - 12 mo
43 years old
🇺🇸 US
• 1 month ago
The only negative is loss of sex drive, other than that it has helped my mood
Very positive mood
2 more effects
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 18 mo - 3 yr
24 years old
🇺🇸 US
• 9th Mar 25
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
Used for 5 - 8 yr
26 years old
🇺🇸 US
• 12th Feb 25
I’ve experienced these issues around or during my period
Improved skin
1 more effect
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 6 - 12 mo
Lowdown user
🇺🇸 US
• 11th Feb 25
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
Used for 12 - 18 mo
52 years old
🇺🇸 US
• 5th Feb 25
no noted side effects very happy with this medication was switched to sprintec and not happy at all with sprintec
Very positive mood
1 more effect
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 6 - 12 mo
23 years old
🇺🇸 US
• 4th Feb 25
I actually didn't really have any "normal" side effects with this pill, I felt like I was mostly normal. But I did notice that my hair was gradually thinning, and it felt like it triggered some form of chronic hair loss for me. Interestingly enough, while it wasn't a huge issue, I noticed that I had "stinky" periods? I stopped having them after I stopped the pill.
Worse skin
0 helpful
0 comments
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