Table of contents:
- What happens if you stop taking birth control pills
- 1. The possibility of getting pregnant
- 2. Irregular menstrual cycle
- 3. PMS might come back
- 4. Lowering vitamin D levels in the body
- 5. Sharp pain during ovulation
- 6. Weight loss
- 7. Pimples appear
- Even if you stop taking birth control pills, you will still be protected from several types of cancer
Every type of birth control has side effects, from pill form, hormonal IUD (spiral birth control), to injections. Even so, these side effects will vary from person to person because they depend on the condition of your body before you start taking birth control pills. So, what happens to the body if you stop taking birth control pills? Find out the answer below.
What happens if you stop taking birth control pills
Here are some of the things that can happen to your body if you decide to start taking birth control pills.
1. The possibility of getting pregnant
Many women believe it will take a long time for the body to get pregnant after stopping birth control pills. In fact, it could happen sooner than you think. The reason is, research shows that the pregnancy rate of women after stopping taking birth control pills will be the same as those who use other contraceptives such as condoms.
Even in one of the studies mentioned, half of the pregnant women started conceiving within the first 6 months. That is why, if you and your partner do not want to get pregnant, make sure to use condoms or other types of contraception when having sex after you stop taking birth control pills.
2. Irregular menstrual cycle
If before you started actively taking birth control pills you had regular menstrual cycles, then when you decide to stop taking these pills, it will take you a few months to get them back to normal.
However, if your menstrual cycle is fundamentally irregular, it will be more difficult for you to return to a normal timeframe. Even if your periods have stopped, it can take several months for you to start over.
3. PMS might come back
Birth control pills actually help the body to deal with hormonal disorders that cause you to feel depressed, anxious, and irritable just before your period. Now, that's why if you start to stop taking birth control pills, you have to be prepared for a variety of PMS symptoms including mood swings just before your period.
4. Lowering vitamin D levels in the body
A recent study published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism found that many women experience decreased vitamin D levels when they stop taking birth control pills. This is certainly problematic for women trying to conceive, because vitamin D helps support the fetal skeleton in pregnancy.
That's why it's important to tell your doctor if you stop taking birth control pills. Not only that, don't forget to ask about how to get the best vitamin D intake for you, whether it's spending more time in the sun, eating vitamin D-rich foods like fish, or maybe taking vitamin D supplements.
5. Sharp pain during ovulation
The way any pregnancy control device works is basically to prevent you from ovulating. That is why, when you start to stop using this contraceptive you will probably feel the situation again. As a result, you may experience slight cramps in your pelvis as your ovaries start releasing eggs. Not only that, you are also likely to discharge a lot of fluid from the vagina (vaginal discharge).
6. Weight loss
Women who use progestin-type contraceptives (such as injectable birth control, spiral birth control, or birth control pills) are more likely to gain weight. Well, this allows you to experience weight loss if you decide to stop. However, it is still unclear whether combination birth control pills can also increase body weight or not.
If you want to seriously lose weight, then the best way you can do it is by adopting a healthy diet and good and proper exercise rather than depending on the side effects of using birth control pills.
7. Pimples appear
The use of combination birth control pills which combine estrogen and progestin can clear acne in many women because it lowers the levels of androgens in the body. Androgens are hormones that produce oil on the skin.
Well, that's why, when you stop taking birth control pills, acne may come back again, especially just before menstruation, when hormone levels are unstable (fluctuating).
Even if you stop taking birth control pills, you will still be protected from several types of cancer
One of the at least good side effects of birth control pills is that when you use them for a long time, then you indirectly have a lower risk of ovarian and endometrial cancer.
If you are a woman who has been taking this pill for a very long time, the "protection" will still work even though you have stopped taking birth control pills. These side effects also apply to other non-cancerous problems, such as benign tumors in the breast and benign tumors in the uterus (fibroids).
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