7 side effects of stopping birth control

Your body goes through an adjustment period when stopping hormonal birth control, and it can take time for your hormones to balance themselves out.

Side effects of stopping birth control can vary from person to person but may include headaches, breast changes, and even temporary hair loss. In some cases, these effects may lessen over time.

Irregular or heavier periods

The hormones in the birth control pill may help regulate your menstrual cycle and prevent heavy periods.

When you stop taking oral birth control, your body’s hormone levels change suddenly. It’s not unusual to experience irregular periods or periods that are heavier or lighter than usual after you stop taking the pill.

This irregularity can last for several months. In most cases, your cycle should become more predictable. However, some people may continue to have irregular periods.

A healthcare professional may be able to recommend an alternative to hormonal birth control for heavy periods.

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Breast changes

Breast pain is a common menstrual symptom. Right before your period, your body produces more progesterone, stimulating growth in the milk glands that can cause tenderness.

As birth control pills help regulate hormone levels in your body, you may experience little to no breast discomfort when taking the pill. Stopping birth control can increase breast sensitivity and tenderness.

Breast tenderness is also a possible side effect of birth control pills. If you started experiencing breast sensitivity since you started taking the pill, coming off birth control may eliminate period-related breast pain.

Some people may also notice a slight reduction in the size of their breasts after coming off the pill.

Acne

Most birth control pills contain either a combination of progesterone and estrogen or progesterone only.

These hormones can help clear up acne by lowering the levels of androgens in your body. Androgens are sex hormones that contribute to skin oil production. The more oil your skin produces, the higher your risk of developing acne.

If you stop taking birth control, your androgen levels may rise again. You may notice acne flares around when you get your period due to hormonal fluctuations.

You’re more likely to experience acne as a side effect of coming off birth control if you had issues with acne before going on the pill.

Immediate risk of pregnancy

As soon as you come off birth control, there is a chance you can get pregnant.

In most people, regular ovulation restarts within 1 or 2 months. A 2018 study involving 14,884 people on birth control found that 83.1% of participants were able to become pregnant within 12 months after stopping hormonal contraceptives.

If you’re not planning on becoming pregnant after stopping the pill, it’s important to consider other methods of contraception, like condoms. Consider speaking with a healthcare professional about your birth control options.

Hair loss

Stopping birth control may trigger a condition known as telogen effluvium that causes temporary hair shedding. This type of hair loss typically resolves within 6 months after coming off the pill as your body adjusts its hormone levels.

If you take oral contraceptives for polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), you may experience hair loss if you stop taking the pill.

That said, hair loss can happen for various reasons, including stress. If you’re shedding more than usual, consider discussing your hair loss treatment options with a healthcare professional.

Headache and mood changes

Some people experience headaches and migraine attacks around the same time they get their period. There’s a link between headaches and the drop in estrogen that happens before and during your period.

Some people use birth control to skip or have fewer periods. With fewer periods, you may experience fewer migraine episodes.

Stopping birth control may increase migraine attack frequency. However, some people may find that stopping birth control has the opposite effect.

Coming off the pill can also cause hormone imbalances that lead to mood changes around your period.

Changes in sex drive

One common side effect of birth control pills is reduced libido, which can mean that coming off the pill may help increase your sex drive.

It can take some time for your libido to adjust after stopping birth control. You might also experience anxiety about getting pregnant, which can interfere with your sex drive.

When to speak with a doctor

The side effects you may experience after stopping birth control will likely go away over time.

However, how long it takes for your body to adjust to being off birth control can vary. If your symptoms last longer than a few months or you don’t get your period within 6 months after coming off hormonal birth control, let a healthcare professional know.

Summary

Stopping birth control can cause side effects like irregular periods, acne, breast changes, headaches, and libido changes.

If your symptoms don’t improve or make daily activities difficult, consider speaking with a healthcare professional.

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