No matter what your reason for stopping birth control, here are the steps you'll need to take for a safe and healthy transition.
You’re thinking about going off the pill. Whether it’s the cost, the inconvenience of having to take a birth control pill every day, or the desire to have a baby, this decision requires some planning — not just tossing away the pack.
A smart first step is to talk with your doctor before you make a change. No matter your reason for stopping birth control pills, have this conversation before you take action. If you don’t want to become pregnant, you should see your doctor to discuss other forms of contraception, and if you do want to have a baby, you should see your doctor for pre-conception counseling, says Bart D. Putterman, MD, an ob-gyn at Texas Children’s Pavilion for Women in Houston.
Some women are afraid of what might happen to their bodies when they stop taking the pill, but gynecologists say you have nothing to worry about. “There are very few side effects to stopping the pill,” says Sherry Thomas, MD, a gynecologist at Los Angeles-based Mission Community Hospital. And those you may have aren’t likely to last too long. But if you were on the pill for birth control, you can get pregnant as soon as you stop taking it, she warns. “The birth control pill is out of your system in one to two days," Dr. Thomas says. "If you don’t want to get pregnant, you will need another (form of contraception).”
Another false concern is the idea that the longer you’ve been on the pill, the longer it will take you to get pregnant once you stop. “But that’s not the case,” says Tosha Rogers, DO, an ob-gyn in the Atlanta area.
The Effects of Stopping the Pill
Although you won’t notice that you’ve started ovulating again, if you were taking the pill for another reason, such as to control heavy bleeding or to regulate your period, it’s highly likely that the problem will return as soon as you stop, Dr. Putterman says.
Likewise, if you were taking the pill to control hot flashes, you might start having them after stopping birth control pills. If the pill helps make your skin more clear, once you stop taking it, you could start breaking out again. If getting your period makes you irritable or sad and the pill was helping keep you on an even keel, don’t be surprised if those PMS emotions return once you stop.
Some women may find that their appetite increases when they stop birth control pills. On the other hand, if your birth control pills were causing you to retain water, you may lose water weight once you stop.
But any minor side effects shouldn’t last more than a month or two, Thomas says. “They should level off after that.” Putterman says to keep in mind that lower-dose pills have fewer side effects while you’re on them and when you withdraw from them than higher-dose pills do.
When to Stop Taking Birth Control Pills
Although you can stop taking birth control pills at any time, even in the middle of the pill pack, doing so could throw your cycle off and cause bleeding to start. “Your uterus gets confused, but it’s not your period,” Thomas says. “You could bleed for two weeks and there’s no way to control it.” If you want to bypass irregular bleeding, wait to finish the pack before you stop.
Another reason to finish your pack is to better judge ovulation timing if you’re stopping birth control to get pregnant — you’ll know when to expect your period and when you might be ovulating. It’s easier to date your pregnancy if you know when your last period was.
Once you’re off birth control pills, pay attention to your cycle. If it doesn’t return to normal in two to three months, see your doctor. There could be another health issue at work.