Alternatives to Junel FE
Due to the wide variety of birth control pills on the market, it’s not uncommon for patients to try different ones before they find their perfect match. Different pills may contain different forms of progesterone and/or estrogen, and you may find that you are more sensitive to certain types than others. If you happen to be sensitive to estrogen, you could try the progesterone-only pill, also called the ‘mini-pill’. This pill is continuous, meaning it does not allow a break for a monthly bleed, and can also be used by women who are breastfeeding.
Alternatively, you could opt for hormonal contraception that doesn’t require you to take a pill every day. These include hormonal implants (Nexplanon, Implanon) and injections (Depo-Provera). If you have any health conditions such as diabetes or hypertension, an intrauterine device (IUD) may be a better choice for you (Liletta, Kyleena, Mirena, ParaGard, and Skyla). The IUD acts locally, which may lower the risk of side effects. For more information and to help you make the best choice, speak to your doctor or healthcare provider.
If you cannot use hormonal contraceptives, you could choose one of the barrier contraceptive methods. They include condoms (male and female) and the cervical cap (FemCap). But remember that condoms are the only contraceptive method that protects against STIs.