Apri

If you smoke cigarettes, using combined oral contraceptives (COCs) like Apri raises your risk of serious health problems. These include strokes, heart attacks, and blood clots. People 35 years and older who smoke are at even higher risk. It's also even higher with the more cigarettes smoked. If you smoke, talk to your healthcare professional (HCP) about safer birth control options.

Apri raises your risk of blood clots, though the overall risk is quite low. These clots can occur anywhere in your body. This can include your legs (a deep vein thrombosis or DVT) or lungs (a pulmonary embolism or PE). Clots can also happen near the brain (raising your risk for a stroke) or heart (raising your risk for a heart attack).

Study results are mixed, but there's a possibility that Apri and other COCs can raise your risk for breast and cervical cancer.

Don't take Apri if you have liver problems. Although rare, COCs like Apri can raise the risk of liver problems, like liver damage or benign liver tumors. This risk was higher with older COCs that had a higher estrogen dose (up to 50 mcg). The risk isn't as high with Apri because it contains 30 mcg of estrogen.

COCs like Apri might raise your blood sugar levels. If you have prediabetes or diabetes, the risk that your blood sugar can go up is higher. This is because COCs make it harder for your body to break down sugar. Let your HCP know if you have any changes in your blood sugar.

Apri and other COCs can raise your blood pressure. The risk might be higher as you get older and as you use COCs over a long time.

Headaches are a common side effect of COCs like Apri. But if you have a new migraine, a migraine that's worse than normal, a new headache that keeps coming back, or a new headache that's severe, call your HCP so you can be checked out.

Breakthrough bleeding and spotting are common side effects of hormonal birth control pills such as Apri. It's more likely to happen during the first 3 months of using Apri. Tell your prescriber if you have any vaginal bleeding outside of your period. Also let them know if your period has stopped completely. There are other reasons for irregular bleeding besides your birth control pills that your HCP can check out.

Let your care team know if you have symptoms of depression or worsening depression while taking Apri. In cases of serious depression, your HCP might tell you to stop taking this medication.

Tell your prescriber or pharmacist about all your medications so they can make sure they're safe for you. Certain medications can interact with Apri. Some can make Apri get broken down faster in the body, making it work less well to prevent pregnancy. Some examples include carbamazepine (Tegretol) and phenytoin (Dilantin). Use a back-up method or other form of birth control while you're taking these medications until at least 28 days after stopping them. Other medications can raise the amount of Apri in your body and lead to more side effects.