IUB Ballerine vs Combined pill
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£From £0.16/day
Overview
Rated 3.6
10 reviews
Every 5 years
Frequency
Over 99%
Effectiveness
None
Blood clot risk
None
Effect on fertility
Rated 2.8
2586 reviews
Daily
Frequency
91% - 99+%
Effectiveness
Increased
Blood clot risk
None
Effect on fertility
IUB Ballerine ingredients
Combined pill ingredients
Main hormones in Combined pill
progestogen
oestrogen
What Lowdown reviewers say
Benefits: What this contraceptive can help with
There are no benefits that are recognised in scientific research or guidelines for this contraceptive
Acne or bad skin
Heavy periods
PMS and PMDD
PCOS symptoms
Period pain
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£From £0.16/day
Check out our latest reviews
Real life reviews from people like you
IUB Ballerine reviews
10 reviews
Used for 6 - 12 mo
19 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 20th Apr 25
Have had the ballerine iud for 7 months and it’s a great change from my last contraception (bar implant). Wanted something that wasn’t hormonal and this was the best choice. Insertion was painful but cramps were gone after an hour or two. Periods have been very irregular still (late, heavy bleeds & spotting for days after), hoping/expecting for them to go back to normal around now since i’m 6months+ on. Other than that no issues & i recommend this over anything else ive tried.
Worse skin
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 3 - 5 yr
Lowdown user
🇬🇧 UK
• 18th Sep 24
Somewhat negative mood
2 more effects
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 5 - 8 yr
Lowdown user
🇬🇧 UK
• 16th Jul 24
I had my IUB inserted in March 2019. I didn't have any pregnancies before. The insertion of the device was the most painful experience of my life, almost passed out and threw up at the doctor's office, it was a really intense sharp pain. I also had very intense cramps for 2 days after insertion, no pain killers helped. I suppose that's what being in labor feels like, I constantly had an urge to push. After this, everything was fine, the device is reliable and comfortable; and I am using it for more than 5 years now (obgyn said I can use it up to 6 years if it works well). During these five years I had increased bloodflow and sometimes mid-cycle spotting because of the device, but nothing too bad. Overall, I would recommend.
Top side effects not reported
1 helpful
0 comments
Used for 6 - 12 mo
19 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 20th Apr 25
Have had the ballerine iud for 7 months and it’s a great change from my last contraception (bar implant). Wanted something that wasn’t hormonal and this was the best choice. Insertion was painful but cramps were gone after an hour or two. Periods have been very irregular still (late, heavy bleeds & spotting for days after), hoping/expecting for them to go back to normal around now since i’m 6months+ on. Other than that no issues & i recommend this over anything else ive tried.
Worse skin
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 3 - 5 yr
Lowdown user
🇬🇧 UK
• 18th Sep 24
Somewhat negative mood
2 more effects
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 5 - 8 yr
Lowdown user
🇬🇧 UK
• 16th Jul 24
I had my IUB inserted in March 2019. I didn't have any pregnancies before. The insertion of the device was the most painful experience of my life, almost passed out and threw up at the doctor's office, it was a really intense sharp pain. I also had very intense cramps for 2 days after insertion, no pain killers helped. I suppose that's what being in labor feels like, I constantly had an urge to push. After this, everything was fine, the device is reliable and comfortable; and I am using it for more than 5 years now (obgyn said I can use it up to 6 years if it works well). During these five years I had increased bloodflow and sometimes mid-cycle spotting because of the device, but nothing too bad. Overall, I would recommend.
Top side effects not reported
1 helpful
0 comments
Combined pill reviews
2586 reviews
Used for 12 - 18 mo
22 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• today
This combined pill has been the best one for me that I have tried so far. It hasn’t impacted my mood (as far as I can tell) and I haven’t experienced many negative side effects.
Top side effects not reported
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 1 - 3 mo
21 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 4 days ago
Overall, Haven’t noticed any changes to mood, it’s definitely made me gain a little bit of weight. However, My period i had when coming off the pill was in one word…. Excruciating. I’ve never had bad period cramps but with this pill my period came out in massive blood clots and it was very very painful.
Somewhat positive mood
2 more effects
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 18 mo - 3 yr
20 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 6 days ago
Gave me cystitis all the time and even after coming off I keep getting it after seeing a specialist they told me it’s due to the The pill, lowering my oestrogen
Somewhat negative mood
2 more effects
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 12 - 18 mo
22 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• today
This combined pill has been the best one for me that I have tried so far. It hasn’t impacted my mood (as far as I can tell) and I haven’t experienced many negative side effects.
Top side effects not reported
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 1 - 3 mo
21 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 4 days ago
Overall, Haven’t noticed any changes to mood, it’s definitely made me gain a little bit of weight. However, My period i had when coming off the pill was in one word…. Excruciating. I’ve never had bad period cramps but with this pill my period came out in massive blood clots and it was very very painful.
Somewhat positive mood
2 more effects
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 18 mo - 3 yr
20 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 6 days ago
Gave me cystitis all the time and even after coming off I keep getting it after seeing a specialist they told me it’s due to the The pill, lowering my oestrogen
Somewhat negative mood
2 more effects
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 3 - 5 yr
30 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 1 week ago
I thought i had gotten on well with Gedarel, didn’t have side effects really and took it continuously to not have periods which only about every 6mnths got beeak-through bleeding, the periods during a pill break were getting heavier each time though. only after coming off it and changing to the mini pill did I realise my sez drive was affected by it as it came back to my normal and my mood felt more stable generally also? The reason for switching was because I had one really bad migrane (and no history of it)
Somewhat positive mood
2 more effects
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 6 - 12 mo
32 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 2 weeks ago
Very positive mood
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 1 - 3 mo
16 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 3 weeks ago
I started this pill 4 months ago, and i’ve noticed that i’ve bruised a lot, especially on my arms knees legs etc. i had swapped birth controls> from the injection seyena press to the combined pill and the injection, i had no period for the 2 year period i was using, started the pill and have had 2 quite big heavy periods- having a clear out isn’t an issue but the pain i am in is a lot. either way this pill is great whilst using for 4 months+ :)
Somewhat negative mood
1 more effect
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 1 - 3 mo
25 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 3 weeks ago
I really didn't like this pill. It caused my mood to plummet, and I gained weight on it.
Very negative mood
2 more effects
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 1 - 3 mo
25 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 3 weeks ago
I was prescribed Femodette because I wanted a COC pill that would not cause my mood to worsen. It didn't have any impact on my mood, which is great, but the weight gain I experienced on this pill made me consider alternative methods of contraception.
Increased sex drive
1 more effect
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 1 - 3 mo
21 years old
🇬🇧 UK
• 3 weeks ago
my pharmacy moved me to this pill when my previous one was not available. I was hesitent at first but found it lightened my discharge which was always so heavy on my previous pill. I was forced to stop this pill due to unavailbilty but i am currently trying to get it back because after a month back on my old pill i am now seeing how much better this one was for me. I didnt notice the positive changes until i had to go back onto my old one. But if anything that is a good thing to me because it felt natural.
Somewhat positive mood
2 more effects
0 helpful
0 comments
Used for 3 - 5 yr
Lowdown user
🇬🇧 UK
• 3 weeks ago
It was good in the sense that my “cycle” felt really regular and I had very consistent moods which felt good as it avoided the PMS I used to get. The peace of mind as a contraceptive method was also good. Whilst I was on it I didnt realise anything significantly different about myself. However, when I came off it i didnt realise how much of my self it had suppressed - in terms of feeling alive to the word and sexually charged. I now use condoms/ may consider the localised hormonal coil as I am no longer interested in experiencing such significant changes in myself for contraception.
Somewhat negative mood
2 more effects
0 helpful
0 comments

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