Stopping birth control: Effects on periods, fertility, and more

Why might someone consider going off birth control?

There are many different reasons why someone might be considering stopping birth control. Some of the most common reasons include:

• A desire to conceive: If you’re planning to get pregnant soon, you may be thinking about coming off birth control.
• Side effects: Some people experience negative side effects on certain types of birth control, like mood swings, weight gain and headaches – so they may want to stop that birth control method if they don’t ease up after a few months.
• Preference for natural methods: Some people may prefer to avoid hormonal birth control, preferring instead to use natural methods like Natural Cycles.
• Lifestyle changes: For some people, a change in lifestyle or reduction in sexual activity may mean stopping or switching birth control to adapt to the new needs and preferences.

Can you stop taking birth control at any time?

Yes, you can for the most part. Some people use birth control to help manage certain medical conditions, like acne, and in these cases, you should always speak to your doctor before making any decisions about stopping birth control. Additionally, certain types of birth control must be stopped after a certain amount of time – if you have the implant, it must be removed before three years are up, for example. 

It’s always best to speak to your healthcare provider for advice first if you want to know how to get off birth control, as they’ll be able to give you advice on how to do this safely. They can also help you plan for whatever’s next, whether you want to come off birth control completely, start trying for a baby, or are looking to switch to another birth control method.

How to get off different hormonal birth control methods

Not every birth control method is the same – and the way you need to approach coming off each one will vary.

• Birth control pills: You can stop taking the pill at any time, and you don’t need to finish the pack you’re on – although you may prefer to finish the pack as it’ll make it easier to tell when you’ll bleed. Simply stop taking your pills when you’re ready. [1]
• Birth control patch: Similar to the pill, when you’re ready to come off the patch, simply stop using it – again, it may be easier to wait until the end of a patch, but you can stop at any time. [1]
• Vaginal ring: Like the pill and the patch, you can simply stop using the vaginal ring. You may want to wait until the end of your ring cycle and then not insert another one after your withdrawal bleed, but it’s your choice. [1]
• Implant: If you have the implant and are ready to come off it, you need to visit a healthcare professional – don’t try to remove your implant yourself. The implant removal process is generally a quick and painless procedure. [2]
• Intrauterine device (IUD): Whether you have a copper or hormonal IUD, you need to get this removed by a professional – again, don’t attempt to remove your IUD yourself. You can get it removed whenever you want and in most cases, it’s a relatively fast and painless procedure. [3]
• Birth control shot: If you want to stop the shot, it’s a case of not getting your next shot. However, because the hormones from the shot stay in your body for up to 15 weeks and it can take up to 10 months for your fertility to return to normal, you may need to do some forward planning if you’re planning a pregnancy. [4]

How going off of birth control affects your menstrual cycle

Most hormonal birth control works by stopping ovulation. In order for pregnancy to occur, there must be an egg in the fallopian tube for sperm to fertilize – but because these hormonal contraceptives stop that egg from being released, there’s nothing for the sperm to fertilize, and pregnancy is prevented. [5]

With ovulation disrupted, your body also doesn’t have a natural menstrual cycle when you’re on hormonal birth control. The period you get (if you get one – not everyone does) while on birth control isn’t a “real” period. It’s a withdrawal bleed– for example, when you take a week’s break when taking the pill, there’s a change in the level of hormones in your body, which causes bleeding.

When you stop taking those types of hormonal birth control, your body begins the process of ovulation again. This means your menstrual cycle will start to get back to normal. You’ll usually find that “normal” is whatever was normal for you before you started using contraception, so if you had irregular periods before you started taking the pill, then they’ll likely be irregular when you stop using the pill, too. 

It can take some time for your body to settle back into a normal menstrual cycle, but most women will get a period two to four weeks after stopping the pill. [6]

How going off of birth control affects your fertility

Most forms of birth control don’t affect long-term fertility these days. You can usually conceive soon after stopping most forms of birth control – unless you get the birth control shot, which can take up to 10 months. 

A study in the British Medical Journal looked at how long it took for normal fertility to return in women using various methods of birth control. [7] It found that: 

• Women who used the birth control shot had the longest delay in the return of normal fertility (taking five to eight menstrual cycles)
• This was followed by those who used patch contraceptives (four menstrual cycles)
• Those who used oral contraceptives and vaginal rings generally took three cycles before returning to normal fertility
• The fastest return in normal fertility was seen in users of hormonal and copper IUDs and implants (two menstrual cycles)

So, birth control doesn’t affect your fertility in the long-term, but depending on which form of contraception you’re using, it may take longer for your fertility to return to normal when you stop.

How stopping birth control can affect your mood

When you start certain birth control methods, you may experience side effects, including mood swings, headaches and spotting. Most of these symptoms will usually subside within 3-6 months – but if that’s not the case for you, it’s best to speak to your doctor. 

When you stop taking birth control, you may also experience some side effects.

Mood swings are one of the most common symptoms experienced when coming off birth control. That’s because many forms of hormonal birth control can help you avoid premenstrual syndrome (PMS) symptoms like mood swings as you won’t have the natural cyclical hormonal fluctuations that cause them. [8] For example, the FDA cleared Yaz as a hormonal birth control pill to treat premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD), a more severe variant of PMS. [9] If you previously had PMS symptoms like moodiness, irritability or anxiety which were avoided when on birth control, then these may also return with your natural menstrual cycle.

Conversely, some people find that they experience worse mood swings while on hormonal birth control, for example on the pill during the week of hormone-free placebos. [10] Several studies have even investigated the links between hormonal contraception and depression, with one 2016 study finding that there was an association between the use of the vaginal ring, oral contraceptives, and the IUD and the subsequent use of antidepressants. [11]

Either way, it can take a few months for your mood to stabilize as your natural hormonal cycle re-establishes itself. If you were taking a non-hormonal form of birth control, then mood swings aren’t a direct side effect either of taking the birth control or of stopping it.

How stopping birth control can affect libido

When taking birth control, most people notice a reduced libido (another word for sex drive), while others report an increased sex drive – and some people don’t see any change in their sex drive.

It’s an under-researched area, but it’s thought that a reduction of libido while taking birth control may be linked to testosterone levels. This hormone is linked to sexual desire, and birth control like the pill reduces testosterone levels in women. So, when you’re taking certain birth control methods, you may experience reduced sex drive. [12]

There are also other reasons why someone’s sex drive might reduce when on birth control. For example, many forms of hormonal birth control can cause vaginal dryness, pain during penetration and decreased sensitivity [13], all of which might make you less likely to want to have sex. 

If that’s the case, then it stands to reason that you may have an increased sex drive when you stop taking birth control and your testosterone levels start to rise and symptoms begin to reduce. 

Other side effects

Changes in your mood and sex drive aren’t the only side effects you may experience when stopping birth control. Others include:

• Headaches

Some people find that taking birth control gives them headaches, while for others, it reduces their headaches. If you’ve been prescribed birth control to reduce your headaches or migraines, then you may find that these start again once you stop taking birth control. [14]

• Weight changes

Most forms of birth control don’t cause weight gain in general, although some individuals may always experience this. However, there are two methods of contraception which are thought to cause weight gain: the implant and the birth control shot. [15]

Everyone is different and not all women will put on weight when using these types of birth control – but if you do, you may find that you lose weight when you stop using them. [16] 

Bloating and weight gain are commonly reported symptoms when it comes to starting or stopping birth control. However, there is very little research establishing a clear link between contraception and weight gain. [17] You know your body best, and you may find it helpful to document any changes you notice during the transition phase of stopping birth control, including weight fluctuation. Keep in mind that there are many things that can cause our weight to change in one way or the other, and minor changes shouldn’t be a cause for concern. 

It’s worth noting that cravings and bloating are normal symptoms of PMS (premenstrual syndrome), and you may notice these changes as you transition away from hormonal birth control. These natural fluctuations typically go away soon after you’ve started your period, and may return at the end of your next cycle. [18]

• Acne

Some people are prescribed birth control, particularly the combined contraceptive pill, to treat acne. These pills contain both estrogen and progestin (a synthetic form of the hormone progesterone), which reduce the levels of androgens in the body. As androgens can increase the production of sebum (an oily substance that can clog pores and cause acne), lower androgen levels can mean acne clears up when taking that type of birth control. When you stop taking combined contraceptive pills, then, you may experience new acne breakouts, as your body readjusts to the natural levels of hormones in your body, including androgens.

On the other hand, other contraceptives such as the mini-pill (or progestogen-only pill) may induce acne while you take it. [19] 

How to manage side effects

Most side effects of stopping birth control should disappear, but remember life without hormonal contraception will look different. You may want to track your symptoms so it’s easier to notice any changes – and if they don’t ease off after a few months, you should speak to your doctor.

In the meantime, it’s best to address side effects individually. If you experience mood changes, you may want to try stress reduction techniques like meditation and physical activity, while for headaches, you could try using painkillers or speaking to your doctor if they’re particularly bad.

What are some signs of ovulation after getting off birth control?

Some people will start ovulating very soon after coming off birth control (one study found that about half of the participants ovulated within the first three weeks, and over 80% ovulated within the first six weeks after they stopped using the pill. [20] For other people, it will take longer.

If you’re thinking of using a natural method of birth control or are planning pregnancy, it’s important to know when you’re ovulating. Some signs of ovulation to look out for include:

• Cervical mucus: In the days before you ovulate, your cervical mucus may become clear and stretchy.
• Increased sex drive: Estrogen is linked to libido, and in the days before you ovulate, estrogen levels increase – which may mean you have a higher sex drive.
• Luteinizing hormones: In the 24-48 hours before you ovulate, there’s an increase in luteinizing hormone (LH). You can measure this using an ovulation test.
• Body temperature: Right after you ovulate, there’s a small increase in your basal body temperature (BBT). 
• Sensitive breasts: You may have tender breasts on the day of ovulation.
• Pelvic pain: Some people feel either a sharp or dull pain around the time they’re ovulating.

You can keep track of your symptoms during your cycle to help you better understand your body and get a clear picture of when you ovulate. Natural Cycles gives you a helping hand by using your past cycle data to give you a personalized prediction for ovulation.

When to speak with a doctor

If you’re planning to stop using birth control, it’s a good idea to speak to your doctor in the first instance. They can help you to formulate a plan for stopping or switching to another method. Additionally, if you have unwanted side effects – particularly if they continue for longer than a few weeks – you should speak to your doctor.

And if you don’t get your period back within a few months of stopping birth control, you should consult a healthcare professional. 

Get to know your body better with Natural Cycles

Whether you want to switch to a hormone-free method of birth control, or are thinking about getting pregnant (either now or in the near future), Natural Cycles can help you on your fertility journey – both as FDA Cleared birth control and as a pregnancy planning app. Sign up today, or learn more about NC° Plan Pregnancy.