What to Know About Going Off Birth Control

At its best, birth control can be a wonderful tool to help prevent unwanted pregnancies, regulate menstrual cycles and prevent acne and other PCOS symptoms. However, all hormonal birth control methods can cause some changes and symptoms in your body when you start it ranging from mood swings to weight gain and breast soreness. The same can occur when you stop any form of hormonal birth control. Since your body was used to regulating itself with those hormones, getting off birth control can disrupt your system and cycle.

Regardless of your reasoning for stopping birth control, maybe you want to become pregnant or you want to try another option, you should discuss your decision with your gynecologist to better understand the transition. Just like every woman’s body reacts differently to starting birth control, the same goes for going off of it. If you went on birth control to manage heavy periods, acne or painful cramping you may discover that your body will revert back and you will once again have these same symptoms after quitting birth control.

Most women resume their period and ovulation within 2-3 weeks after going off of birth control. But, if you were using birth control for a prolonged amount of time it could take up to 2-3 months for you to ovulate after coming off the pill or other form of birth control. It’s best to listen to your body when going off of birth control to know what is right for you.