Thank you for your question. You will need to get a basic check up with your gynaecologist including height weight blood pressure and detailed history of risks like diabetes hypertension heart disease and strokes in the family. If all is ok according to WHO criteria you are eligible to take the pill without restriction because the benefits outweigh the risks. Common benefits are 99% effective at preventing an unwanted pregnancy, regular periods, less period pain, prevention of endometrial ovarian and bowel cancer if used long term. Common side effects are nausea vomiting headaches breast tenderness bloating etc in 1/10 cases. 1/100 may experience unscheduled bleeding which settles with use , 1/1000 may uncover hypertension and migraines. 9-10/100000 women may develop a clot in the veins ( this risk is 60/100000 if you are pregnant), weight gain or loss is not a side effect although there are several myths surrounding this. You can find out more on the WHO website or WWW.FPA.org or WWW.patient. co.uk