What are the good points about the Pill?

The Pill has now been shown to have certain major health advantages:

it abolishes period pain

it makes periods shorter

it makes them lighter.

Because of this, you are less likely to get anaemic.

If you have acne, the Pill should improve it.

In addition, it decreases your chances of getting certain cancers (though it increases the risk of others). Please see the section on cancer, below.

But can’t it give you a lot of side effects when you start? During the first few packs of the Pill, many women get minor, passing side effects, such as:

headaches

nausea

breast tenderness

slight weight gain

slight ‘spotting’ of blood between the periods.

These side-effects usually go away after the first few packs. If they don’t, it’s very easy to get rid of them by simply switching to another brand of the 22 available brands of Pill.

03/09/2010 06:17 PM

'No proof' IVF aided by acupuncture

There is no evidence acupuncture or Chinese herbal medicine boost the chance of IVF success, fertility experts warn.

03/09/2010 06:04 PM

'Problem kids' risk future pain

Children with behavioural problems are twice as likely to suffer chronic pain as adults than others, say researchers.

03/09/2010 05:36 AM

US school soda deal 'cuts sugar'

The US soft drinks industry says it has dramatically cut full-calorie beverages available in schools as part of a drive to tackle obesity.

03/07/2010 06:59 PM

Action urged on pregnancy deaths

Pregnant women in developing countries face the same risk of death as women in the UK did 100 years ago, say campaigners.

03/08/2010 02:37 PM

Obama continues healthcare attack

US President Barack Obama attacks insurers for raising rates as he continues his push for healthcare reform.

03/09/2010 10:21 AM

UK gives SA millions of condoms

The UK donates £1m ($1.5m) to South Africa to buy 42m condoms, as the nation builds up to the football World Cup.

03/06/2010 08:27 AM

Surgery on Mubarak 'successful'

Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak undergoes successful surgery at a German clinic for an inflamed gall bladder, state media say.

03/07/2010 06:19 PM

Premature brain 'wash out' hope

A technique that "washes out" the brains of severely ill premature babies may aid survival, a study suggests.

03/06/2010 04:48 AM

Africa in bid to wipe out polio

A campaign is launched to eradicate polio in west and central Africa, targeting 85 million children.

03/08/2010 06:06 PM

'London bomb stress' recognised

Psychologists say they have treated hundreds of survivors of the 2005 London bombings for post-traumatic stress disorder.