For many young women, navigating sex comes with an extra layer of worry, the fear that a single slip could lead to an unwanted pregnancy.
So they turn to contraceptives, hoping for peace of mind and a little freedom. Between pills, implants, IUDs and injections, there are plenty of options, and modern methods can be incredibly effective when used correctly.
But for some women, that reassurance comes with unexpected and sometimes frightening side effects. We asked five women to share their worst experiences with contraceptives, what went wrong and how it has shaped the way they think about birth control today.
To make sense of these experiences, we also had a chat with Dr Zeenaht Abdullahi, who shared why reactions differ from woman to woman, what you should know before choosing a contraceptive method, and signs that you should change methods.
“Emergency Contraceptives Gave me an Ovarian Cyst” – Nkem*, 23
I don’t have sex very often. To give an estimate, I’d say I indulge once or twice every three months. Each time I have sex, I take the morning-after pill as a contraceptive.
Before I had that awful experience, I’d used it three times and felt fine, but on the fourth use, my body reacted to it. I bled very heavily during my next period, and it lasted longer than usual. I had blood in my stool, nausea, and stomach pains. The bleeding was so scary that I went to the hospital. I can’t remember all the medical terminology, but the short version is that the pills had thrown my hormones out of balance, which in turn caused an ovarian cyst to grow. At some point, I thought I was going to have to get surgery because ovarian cysts can grow large, and if the cyst didn’t shrink, they would have needed to cut it off. Thankfully, it shrank in two months. The ironic thing about this experience is that a pill costing under ₦5k racked up a bill of close to ₦60k on consultations and tests.
I don’t recall the doctor advising me not to use the post-pill again, but I try to avoid it as much as possible. Unfortunately, I’ve used it several times since then because I needed a contraceptive and didn’t have other options. I use private hospitals, and contraceptives like IUDs or implants are very expensive. I don’t have sex often enough to put myself through the stress and expense. The post-pill works fine; I’m more concerned about pregnancies than cysts.
“I Had My Period Three Times in One Month” — Fawzziyah *19
I used the post-pill the first time I had sex because I was paranoid about getting pregnant, and I’d seen on the internet that it’s an effective contraceptive. My partner at the time didn’t use condoms because they made me uncomfortable. After the first use, I just kept using it like a regular contraceptive each time I had sex.
At first, I was using it three to four times a month, but after a while of heavy use, my cycle started to go haywire. I was Softcare’s number one customer last year because I was always on my period. I would have cramps that would leave me unable to move, and even though I have a high pain tolerance, at some point, the pain was so intense that I needed injections to knock me out.
Because of how bad the bleeding was, I told my partner that we couldn’t have sex often. We fought a lot because he didn’t think we were having enough sex in the first place. I eventually caved and went back to taking it frequently.
I barely go to the hospital because I can’t afford to, so it didn’t occur to me that I should have gotten medical help for the bleeding. Cost is the same reason I’ve also never explored other contraceptives. When I asked around, I discovered that an IUD costs ₦50k at a reputable private hospital. Where do I want to see that amount of money? Even the post-pill I use has to be paid for by my partner. Contraceptives aren’t accessible to me at such rates.
“I went up a bra size” – Glory*, 20
I use the post-pill occasionally when I have sex, and I’ve never had a problem with it. Then, out of the blue, I had the strangest side effect – my breasts started to swell. They became very sore and so hypersensitive that I couldn’t wear bras or tight clothing. For the next few weeks, I couldn’t sleep on my chest, and I had chest pain that worsened at night. Sleeping in general became very uncomfortable because even sleeping on my side hurt my chest. I had to buy new underwear because I could no longer fit into my old bra cups.
The pain and soreness lasted until my next period, but my breasts never went back to their normal size. It’s been over a year, and I’ve not used the post-pill since then. I’m a big advocate for contraceptives, but I’m scared of using them myself because I’m a nursing student. I’ve seen people come into the hospital experiencing side effects. I know they aren’t always so severe, and I’d just need to find one compatible with my body, but I’m not willing to take the chance.
“I Started Seeing My Period Six Times a Year” – Aisha*, 24
I started using birth control in 2021 because a doctor recommended it to balance my hormones. I had gone to the hospital to complain because I experienced incredibly painful menstrual cramps, and I had heavy blood flow. I wasn’t given a proper diagnosis — now that I think about it. I did an ultrasound, and the results came back normal, but the doctor concluded that I had a hormonal imbalance. He just told me that it was ‘something mild but not PCOS’ and he prescribed birth control pills. The only side effects he informed me of were headache, dizziness, and fever, which is why I was very shocked when the blood from my next period came in black, dry lumps. I went to a different hospital and was told to stop taking those pills because they had clogged my uterus. They took samples from my vagina and put me on medication. It took weeks before I started to feel normal again.
Since then, my body has not gone back to normal. I keep accumulating different issues. I only have my period once in two months, and my cycles last for three days instead of five. Even though I know better, sometimes I think it happened because I was taking birth control without being sexually active. My reproductive system is a mess. I’m also worried that it may have affected my fertility. I’ve gone to the doctor several times since then, and they recommended that I do five tests, but I can’t afford them — one of the tests costs ₦28,000.
If I ever decide to become sexually active, the contraceptive use has to come from my partner; wearing condoms or getting a vasectomy isn’t as uncomfortable as this. It’s non-negotiable. Contraceptives can have crazy side effects, so I wouldn’t recommend trying them unless you’re sexually active or you need them for health reasons. If you must use them, don’t let doctors get away with giving you vague answers. Some things can be avoided if you ask the right questions.
“I Bled for Six Weeks Straight” — Selena*, 26
I decided to start taking contraceptives because a friend advised me to. She told me it would help with period cramps and reduce my flow. After doing my research, I chose the injectable contraceptive popularly known as family planning. I didn’t want the IUD because I had heard it could shift, and I didn’t want the tablet because I was scared that I could forget to take it consistently. Also, it was very affordable — as of May 2024, it cost ₦2,500
My friend and I went to a nearby pharmacy to get it administered by a nurse. The nurse assured me that it would be fine and told me that I could experience bloating, weight gain and irregular periods. Those were things I could make peace with, so I proceeded. What the nurse didn’t tell me was that I would bleed very heavily.
I didn’t start to get worried about the heavy bleeding until after the first week. I called the nurse to tell her, and she gave me a drug to take for about 3 days, but immediately, I stopped using it, and the bleeding continued. After making a bunch of fruitless calls, I decided to wait it out, but I kept bleeding heavily for the next six weeks. I was lucky I had just gotten a menstrual cup, hence I’d have gone bankrupt from all the pads I would have needed to buy. The only explanation that I got from the nurse was that I was ‘reacting’ to the injection.
That experience taught me a very big lesson because the friend who recommended it didn’t react to it like that. If you want to take contraceptives, please have a serious talk with an experienced doctor to know what you’re getting into and to reduce your chances of experiencing bad side effects. You also need to be open to finding the one your body will accept. Your body isn’t like your friend’s or your sister’s; you shouldn’t decide what contraceptives to take based on another woman’s recommendations.
Doctor’s Note
According to Dr Zeenaht, unfortunately, the side effects from hormonal contraceptives can be incredibly devastating, and there’s no universal one-fits-all approach when it comes to contraceptives. Side effects (especially from hormonal contraceptives) vary from person to person. Before deciding which to use, it is important that you discuss with a trusted healthcare provider and take their recommendations seriously.
For intermediate to long-acting contraceptives, the body typically requires an adjustment period of about 3 months for intermediate to long-acting contraceptives. However, if severe side effects are noticed in the first couple of days/weeks, it’s perfectly fine to take it out and try something else.
One thing most people don’t know about emergency contraceptive pills (like the post-pill) is that you only need to use them once per cycle. Especially if sex happens during the fertile window (3 days before, and 3 days after for those who have a regular cycle). You don’t have to use the post-pill every time you have sex.
Regarding affordability, contraceptives are available in most public health facilities, primary healthcare centres, general hospitals, etc. The protocols involved might be time-consuming, but ultimately, it’s the most cost-effective solution.
Side effects from contraceptives can be quite devastating, but they can be better managed with the right knowledge.
