Many people who take birth control pills find them to be convenient and reliable. But it's important to know their benefits and risks, and to be aware of how taking birth control pills may affect health overall.
Birth control pills also are called oral contraceptives. The birth control pills talked about in this article are those that have both the hormones estrogen and progestin. They are called combination birth control pills or combined hormonal contraceptives. Another type of birth control pill is available that has only progestin in it. That's sometimes called the minipill.
Can I use birth control pills to delay or stop my period?
Yes, but how often you get a period depends on the type of birth control pill you take.
Birth control pills typically are a mix of active and inactive pills. Active pills have hormones in them. Inactive pills don't have any hormones, or they have a low dose of hormones. The days you take the inactive pills typically are the days when bleeding happens.
In the past, birth control pills were only packaged as 21 days of active pills and seven days of inactive pills. Now there are more choices. For example, some packages have 24 days of active pills and four days of inactive pills.
Other options don't include inactive pills each month. These are called continuous or extended-cycle pills. They might include active pills every day for three months, followed by a week of inactive pills. Or you may take active pills continuously for one year. That stops all bleeding throughout the year.
Extended-cycle pills have several potential benefits. They prevent the hormone changes that can lead to bleeding, cramping, headaches and other symptoms that may come with having a period. They also allow you to skip a period during important events or trips. Using extended-cycle pills can ease iron deficiency that may happen due to heavy periods.
Bleeding and spotting often happen during the first few months when taking extended-cycle pills. But they typically stop within 3 to 6 months.
To prevent having a period, can I use ordinary birth control pills or do I need special pills?
If you aren't taking extended-cycle pills, it's still possible to prevent bleeding. Instead of taking the inactive pills at the end of a monthly birth control pill package, start on a new pack right away. This keeps you from bleeding that month.
If I want to have a baby, how soon after stopping birth control pills can I get pregnant?
The body typically starts releasing eggs again, a process called ovulation, a few weeks after stopping birth control pills.
As soon as you ovulate, you can get pregnant. So it's possible to get pregnant during the first several weeks off birth control pills, even if you haven't had a period yet. Take a pregnancy test if you've had sex without birth control and you haven't had a period when you would expect to.
Is there any benefit to waiting a few months after stopping the pill before trying to get pregnant?
The hormones in birth control pills don't stay in the body after you stop taking them. And getting pregnant right after stopping the pill doesn't raise the risk of miscarriage or harm to an unborn baby, called a fetus.
Most of the time, periods start again a few weeks after stopping the pill. It may take a couple of months to return to regular cycles of ovulation. But if your periods weren't regular before you started taking the pill, they likely won't be regular after you stop taking the pill.
If you're not ready to get pregnant after stopping the pill, use another form of birth control.
What happens if I stop taking the birth control pill and my period doesn't come back?
While you're taking birth control pills, your body doesn't make the hormones involved in ovulation and menstruation. When you stop taking the pill, it might take some time for your body to start making those hormones again.
If you don't have a period within three months of stopping the pill, take a pregnancy test to make sure you're not pregnant and then make an appointment to see your healthcare professional.
Will a pregnancy test be accurate if I'm taking birth control pills?
Yes. Pregnancy tests work by checking a blood or urine sample for the pregnancy hormone human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG). Birth control pills don't affect a pregnancy test's measurement of HCG.
What happens if I take birth control pills while pregnant?
Don't worry if you kept taking your birth control pills because you didn't know you were pregnant. The risk of birth defects due to the hormones in the pill is very low. If you find out that you're pregnant, stop taking birth control pills.
Can I take several birth control pills at once for emergency birth control?
It's possible to use some types of standard birth control pills for emergency birth control. But don't do that on your own. Check with your healthcare professional to find out how many pills to take and when to take them.
A better approach is to use medicine designed to keep you from getting pregnant if you've had sex without birth control. This medicine is sometimes called the morning-after pill.
Emergency birth control pills contain either the medicine levonorgestrel (Plan B One-Step, Her Style, others) or the medicine ulipristal acetate (ella, Logilia).
Levonorgestrel pills are available without a prescription at most stores that sell medicine and other healthcare products. This medicine works best when used as soon as possible after having sex without birth control. To be effective, it must be used within three days.
Ulipristal acetate is available by prescription only. This medicine is taken within five days after having sex without birth control.
A copper intrauterine device (IUD) or an IUD that has levonorgestrel also may be used for emergency birth control. These IUDs need to be placed by a healthcare professional within five days of having sex without birth control.
Does how much I weigh make a difference for the effectiveness of morning-after pills?
Emergency birth control pills with the medicine levonorgestrel may not be as effective for people who have a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or more. That means people with a higher BMI could get pregnant after taking levonorgestrel for emergency birth control. Weight typically is not as much of a concern for morning-after pills with ulipristal acetate. Use of an IUD for emergency birth control is not affected by body weight.
I have taken birth control pills for years and want to stop. Can I stop at any time or should I finish my current pill packet?
In terms of your overall health, it makes little difference when you stop taking the pill. You can stop at any time. Many people have some bleeding right after they stop. That could lead to a change in the rhythm of the menstrual cycle.
Can I get pregnant during the days I take inactive pills?
Taking the inactive pills doesn't put you at higher risk of pregnancy. If you take birth control pills exactly as directed, they're about 99% effective at preventing pregnancy.
But if you miss taking pills, you can be at higher risk of getting pregnant during that cycle. If you miss two or more pills, use a backup form of birth control, such as a condom, until you start your next pack of pills.
Do birth control pills cause weight gain?
Studies have shown that the effect of birth control pills on weight is small. And many people don't have any weight gain. But taking birth control pills may raise the amount of fluid kept in the body. That might make you feel as if you've put on weight. Birth control pills also may affect fat cells, making those cells larger.
How do birth control pills affect cancer risk?
Most research shows that birth control pills don't raise the overall risk of cancer.
Scientific evidence suggests that using birth control pills for longer periods of time raises the risk of some cancers, such as cervical cancer. But the risk goes down after stopping use of birth control pills.
When it comes to breast cancer risk, the results are mixed. Some studies show a link between birth control pill use and a small rise in breast cancer risk. But that risk still is low. Other studies have shown no significant rise in breast cancer risk. Risk seems to go down over time after stopping use of birth control pills. If you have a family history of breast cancer, birth control use does not appear to raise the risk.
Taking birth control pills may lower the risk of other types of cancer, including ovarian cancer, endometrial cancer and colon cancer. This benefit may last for years after you stop using the pill.
Do birth control pills affect cholesterol levels?
Birth control pills may affect cholesterol levels. How much of an effect depends on the type of pill and how much estrogen or progestin it has in it. Birth control pills with more estrogen may have a slightly beneficial overall effect on cholesterol levels. In general, though, the changes aren't significant.
Do birth control pills affect blood pressure?
Birth control pills may slightly raise blood pressure. While you're taking birth control pills, have your blood pressure checked regularly. If you already have high blood pressure, talk with your healthcare professional about whether you should think about using another type of birth control.
What is the risk of blood clots when taking birth control pills?
The estrogen in birth control pills may raise the risk of blood clots in the legs, also called deep vein thrombosis. If you have a history of blood clots or if you are at high risk of blood clots, hormonal birth control that has only the hormone progestin is a better choice. Progestin also may raise the risk of blood clots, but the risk is less than with estrogen. Or you could use birth control without hormones, such as an IUD or condoms.
Can I keep taking birth control pills if I'm older than age 35?
If you're healthy and you don't smoke, you can keep taking birth control pills safely after age 35. Birth control pills aren't recommended for people who smoke and are 35 or older. That's because of a higher risk of heart and blood vessel disease.
Can antibiotics lower the effectiveness of birth control pills?
Most antibiotics do not affect how well birth control pills work. But the antibiotic rifampin (Rimactane) does. Rifampin lowers the effectiveness of birth control pills in preventing ovulation.
