Apri Birth Control Pills

Apri Birth Control

What is April Birth Control Pills?
Important Information
Dosage Information
Miss a Dose?
Apri Side Effects
Apri Health Benefits
Apri Reviews

What are Apri Birth Control Pills?

Apri is an oral combination birth control pill is used by women to prevent pregnancy. The active hormones in Apri, desogestrel and ethinyl estradiol, an estrogen and progestin.

Like other birth control pills in its class, Apri is effective by inhibiting ovulation. Apri also causes changes to a woman’s cervical mucus which makes it difficult for a sperm to enter the cervix. Changes to the lining of the uterus also enable implantation.

Apri may also be prescribed by your doctor to treat other conditions, including treating ovarian cysts and acne.

Important Information about Apri Birth Control Pills

Apri is meant for use as a contraceptive, and is not intended for use while you are pregnant or if you have recently given birth.

Furthermore, do not take Apri birth control pills if you experience any of following:

• Blood clots
• Circulation problems
• Diabetic problems with your eyes or kidneys
• Untreated or uncontrolled high blood pressure
• Heart disease
• Untreated vaginal bleeding
• Severe migraines
• Birth control-related jaundice, heart attach or stroke
• Liver disease or cancer
• Smoke and are over 35

Smoking while taking Apri birth control pills can significantly increase your risk of blood clots, stroke, or heart attack. If you are a smoker and are over 35, do not take birth control pills.

Birth control pills like Apri do not protect against sexually transmitted diseases or infections, like HIV and AIDS. The use of a condom is always recommended to protect yourself against these diseases.

Apri Dosage Information

Apri is a daily dosage oral contraceptive. For maximum effectiveness, take Apri once every 24 hours at the same time. It is not advisable to exceed the recommended daily dosage. For ease of use, start taking Apri birth control pills on a Sunday.

Apri birth control pills are available in both 21 and 28 pill formats. Apri 21 contains only 21 active, rose-colored pills whereas Apri 28 contains 21 active, rose-colored pills and 7 white, placebo/inactive pills.

Users of Apri 21 should take one rose-colored pill daily for 21 consecutive days. Once you have completed the pills in the blister packet, you will have no pills for 7 days. You should begin a new pack on day eight.

Likewise, users of Apri 28 will take one rose-colored pill daily for 21 consecutive days. At the end of the 21-day period, take the white placebo pills until the package is empty. Once you have finished the package, be sure to start a new package of Apri birth control pills.

What Happens if You Miss a Dose?

Your chances of pregnancy increase with every missed dose. If you miss an active pill, take it as soon as you remember, then continue to take your next pill at the usual time. If you miss a dose it is possible to take two active pills in one day.

In the first two weeks of your cycle, if miss two active pills in a row, take two pills as soon as possible then two more on the following day. After that you can resume your normal routine dose of one pill per day until you finish the package.

If you miss two or more than three active pills in a row on the third week, you should continue to take one pill per day until Sunday, then start a new package.

If at any point in your cycle you miss taking an active pill, be sure to use a back-up, non-hormonal contraceptive for at least seven days following the missed pills.

It is possible to miss your period if you have missed more than two active pills in one month. If you miss more than two periods in a row, you may be pregnant and should consult your doctor.

Apri Side Effects

Side effects associated with Apri include, but are not limited to:

Headaches
Nausea and vomiting
Fluid retention
Weight gain or loss
Vaginal bleeding between periods
Bloating
Breast tenderness

Taking Apri birth control pills can increase you risk of the following:

High blood pressure
Breast lumps
Depression
Headaches or migraines
Skipped periods over several months
Liver problems
Vaginal infection with associated itching, irritation, and discharge

If you experience any of the above symptoms, Apri may not be the right birth control option for you. Seek medical attention as soon as possible.

Health Benefits of Apri Birth Control Pills

Although taking Apri does increase your risk for certain health conditions, it can also be prescribed to help treat certain conditions, and has shown some positive benefits. Some of them include:

Reduce the risk of developing ovarian cysts
Reduce instances of acne break out
Increased menstrual cycle regularity
Decreased blood loss and incidence of iron-deficiency anemia
Reduce occurrence of endometrial cancer
Decrease instance of ovarian cancer

Apri Reviews

Apri birth control pills hold a 3-star rating on Drugs.com and users have given it a 5.7 out of 10. For the most part, Apri users found the drug is effective, however have experienced significant bouts of depression while taking Apri birth control pills. Using Apri as a form of birth control might not be for everyone.

If you have any questions or concerns about taking Apri, consult your health care practitioner about other birth control options.