There are different concentrations of hormones in birth control pills, rings and patches. Higher doses can help control symptoms like acne, while lower doses come with fewer possible side effects.
There’s no difference between higher and lower doses in terms of contraceptive effectiveness. They’re equally good at preventing pregnancy. Whether you should take a higher or lower dose has more to do with what added benefits you’d like in your birth control and if you’re sensitive to hormones.
Some pills have ‘Lo’ versions, which are a great alternative for women who tried the regular version and experienced side effects. Loestrin and Lo Loestrin are an example. In some cases, though, low-dose pills have completely different names than the regular versions. This happens even with pills made by the same manufacturer.
If you’re not sure which type of birth control is the best option for you, our clinician will be able to help you choose.