Some birth control pills are packaged by different companies so they look different even though they contain exactly the same ingredients. This is closely controlled by the government which even insures that the tablets dissolve the same. Therefore, you can choose among them based on price.

Many birth control pills are insignificantly different from others. In fact, most healthy young women could take any of the 30 or 40 low dose pills and not notice any difference.

Oversimplifying somewhat, the common pills can be grouped according to a few criteria. Brands connected by an equals sign (=) are identical. Within a group, brands are listed alphabetically.

Best overall pills: GENORA 1/35 = NECON 1/35 = NELOVA 1/35 = NORINYL 1/35 = ORTHO-NOVUM 1/35, LOESTRIN 1.5/30.

Pills least likely to cause nausea (all best taken at bedtime): LEVLITE = ALESSE, LOESTRIN 1/20.

Compared to the average pill, these are somewhat less likely to cause nausea. They may make it more difficult to control your weight and are less beneficial for your complexion: LEVLEN = NORDETTE, LO/OVRAL, TRILEVLEN = TRIPHASIL.

All pills can help your complexion. The ones that are best for your complexion: DEMULEN 1/35 = ZOVIA 1/35, DESOGEN, ORTHO-CEPT, ORTHO-CYCLEN, ORTHO TRI-CYCLEN.

One of the most popular pills is not listed, ORTHO NOVUM 777. In my opinion, it's popularity is due to marketing, not because it's the best. It's quite an average formulation, similar to the 1/35 pills listed above. Other less common pills similar to that group include BREVICON, ESTROSTEP, MODICON, ORTHO NOVUM 10/11, OVCON 35 AND TRI-NORINYL.

Usually a woman can pick one of the groups above, and then choose the pill within that group based on price or insurance coverage.