Birth Control Side Affects?

Updated on May 23, 2008
E.H. asks from Provo, UT
24 answers

I've heard from multiple sources that birth control really messes up your fertility cycle and makes it much more difficult to pregnant once off the pill. Any advice on this? Is there really a risk of not being able to get pregnant because of birth control pills?

What can I do next?

  • Add yourAnswer own comment
  • Ask your own question Add Question
  • Join the Mamapedia community Mamapedia
  • as inappropriate
  • this with your friends

Featured Answers

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

H.K.

answers from Great Falls on

Every person's body reacts differently...in my case, with each of my two kids, the first month trying after going off the pill I got pregnant. So don't worry needlessly, be patient, and see how things go!

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

K.D.

answers from Salt Lake City on

I'm not going to tell you anything much different than you've already been told. It really depends on you, the type of pill, the length you've been on it. I was on the pill for nearly 10 years before we tried to have a baby and got pregnant within 3 months (and two of those months we didn't really try because I wanted to give my body a couple of cycles to get used to not being on the pill). Another friend was on it for more than 12 years and got pregnant immediately after she stopped. And another friend who used it for about 15 years and it took almost 2 years to get pregnant. But there is no correlation that the pill is what caused her infertility.

Honestly, I think there is very minimal risk that the pill will cause long-term infertility (it's been on the market since the 60's and there are countless women who used it and went on to have healthy children without problems conceiving). But if it's a real concern to you, I suggest finding another method of birth control.

More Answers

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

J.A.

answers from Denver on

I had never heard that. I personally was on the pill for most of my adult life. Three months prior to want to begin trying to get pregnant, I got off the pill so my body could regulate on its own. And I got pregnant the first time on both of my tries. I am wondering if those that had issues - if it was caused by something else, not the pill. That is my thinking, it was more relational/coincidence, not the cause. I would talk to your Dr. they will have the most current scientific information. good luck!

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

J.S.

answers from Provo on

Everybody is different. I have a friend if she skips a day of pills, she is pregnant. For me, I have been on birth control since I was 18. My first was born when I was 21. We now have 4 kids and I'm 32. It took us about 6 months to get pregnant with all of them but my last and it took like 2 months. But I have other problems one of which is why I stay on birth control coming off only to have baby's. So you will be fine using birth control. And you can still get pregnant afterwards!

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

A.A.

answers from Missoula on

I have been on birth control continuosly since high school. Meaning- I didn't h ave periods because I would start a new pack on week 3. I did this because I have/had ovarian cysts and endometreosis, and was told 2 years ago I would not have children without invetro. I was on the pill, and got pregnant. My son is 18 months old now, and is happy and healthy. What are the chances he beat that 1% odd- and all the other odds against us. So- my answer to you is to take the pill if you want. I have been told by my gyno to stop taking the pill 6 months before you want to try for a baby. But my friend stopped taking the pill 2 months ago, and just found out she is pg! Have you looked into an IUD? That is what I have now. No worries about taking pills. It is bc for 5 years, and your Dr. can take it out at anytime when you want to get pregnant.

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

J.B.

answers from Denver on

I was on the pill for a year, got off in Feb 07, got married in March and without tryin or knowin in June I found out I was pregnant @ a OB yrly check up.. we were so happy.. today he is 4months and doing great!

thats my experience...

Good luck!

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

J.G.

answers from Provo on

I had heard that too and was a little worried about going on the pill myself. I can only speak from personal experience, but I was on the pill for almost 3 straight years when we finally decided it was the right time to start our own family. We expected it to take a few months after I got off for me to get pregnant. We were so surprised when I went off the pill and 2 weeks later found out we are expecting! Now we are due in 5 weeks and we couldn't be happier! So I'm sure for some people it might be more difficult to get pregnant when you go off the pill, but that sure isn't true for all cases! we never had any problems with it. Hope this helps!

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

C.M.

answers from Colorado Springs on

Have you read the labels - and all the warnings? What is printed is all they are required to tell you - there is probably more. There are dangers and consequences to doing unnatural things to your body. Of course it "really messes up your fertility" - that is it's job.

Also - are you aware that some birth controls not only prevent ovulation, but, also can prevent implantation of an already fertilized egg. So, in other words, you and your husband may have already participated in the creation of your beautiful little baby and it may have been artificially prevented from settling into your womb.

And really - what will be so different "in a few more months" . . . and then even more "in a few more months" . . .

Life HAPPENS! Embrace it and LIVE it!

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

C.L.

answers from Provo on

I think a lot of it has to do with your own body chemistry and the type of birth control you are using.

I've used both the pill and Depo Provera shots. I got pregnant right away after using the pill but it took me almost three years to get pregnant after coming off the shots.

A good general rule is that it takes one or two cycles before your body really starts doing its normal routine for fertility, but that's not a rule set in stone. It will always vary and for some it just won't apply.

If you have any questions, talk to your doctor. They will be able to answer your questions since they have a lot more experience with this sort of stuff.

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

J.D.

answers from Denver on

My gynecologist told me it generally takes most people about 2-3 months to begin ovulating again in some sort of pattern--and can take a few months more to have regularity. I got pregnant within 3 months of going off the pill. I have several friends that got pregnant within 2-3 weeks of going off the pill. It may take longer to get pregnant, but getting pregnant and being able to get pregnant are two different things. You should be able to get pregnant within a month or two of going off the pill--after that, it's knowing your cycle, having sex around the middle of your cycle and crossing your fingers/praying/hoping for the best. good luck!

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

J.H.

answers from Billings on

I have heard that same thing, but I don't know anyone who has had that problem. My sister has actually gotten pregnant ON the pill 3 times!!! I was on the pill before I got pregnant with my daughter--I was on the pill 10 years!--and I was off it about 3 months before my daughter was concieved. She was a surprise, so I can't say if I would have been fertile earlier. However, I have several friends who have concieved the very first month that they stopped the pill. If you are ready to start trying now, stop taking your plls and see what happens. Good luck!

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

L.E.

answers from Provo on

you can't really know how your body will react to birth control and getting pregnant until you try it. everyone's bodies react differently. and sometimes factors other than the medicine affect your fertility. there can be issues that don't become apparent until years later. so just start trying for a baby when you feel ready and keep in mind that it may happen right away and it may take years. i had no problem getting pregnant when i planned for it with my first two kids. we only used nursing and condoms as birth control then. i also had no idea then that i had endometriosis. it wasn't until i weaned my second baby that the endometriosis started causing problems and i started to take birth control pills. i also found out i had adenomyosis (the lining of the uterus grows into the muscle of the uterus), which increased my chances of miscarriage, so i was very worried about trying for another pregnancy. but my husband and i felt that we should, and after 5 months of birth control pills, i conceived within 2 months. i'm 22 weeks pregnant and so far so good.
there are just so many possibilities that you can't necessarily know or control, so just give it a try and be prayerful! good luck!

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

M.N.

answers from Denver on

I never heard anything about it messing up the fertility either your body can or can't from what the doctors tell me. I am one of those 1% who did get pregnant on birthcontrol. Now I have an dd that is turning 2 in June.

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

K.R.

answers from Cheyenne on

I agree with everyone else. It will depend on your body and how it reacts to the pill. When my husband and I got married I went on the pill. When we decided to have a baby two years later my doctor told me it could take up to 6 months for me to get pregnant after I got off the pill. Went off of it in February and in March got pregnant. Both my husband and I were very surprised. Good luck.

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

M.O.

answers from Provo on

My doctor told me that it can take up to 2 years for your body to return to its normal fertility after stopping birth control pills. I felt angry when I heard that, as no one had ever told me that before, and I thought I would just stop taking them when I wanted to get pregnant. It didn't end up taking me long at all, just about 3 months, but it is a possibility to be aware of. The pill makes me feel crazy because of the hormones, now we use other forms of birth control.

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

A.F.

answers from Salt Lake City on

This souns like a question better answered by your doctor. However, let me just tell you my own experience. When my husband and I got married, I was on birth control for a year. I stopped taking it and was pregnant the next month. I didn't go back on it after my first. We had twin boys 2 years after she was born, and oops... I was pregnant again when they were 5 months old. After I had my second daughter (4th child) I really didn't want any more surprises, so I'm back on it again now. So... that said, birth control did not make it any harder for me to get pregnant after. And I didn't have any major side effects with the pills. But not every person is the same, so definitely check with your doctor if you're concerned. Good luck.

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

M.R.

answers from Denver on

As you've already read, everyone is different. I was on the pill for 6 years and it took 4 before I was pregnant. Although now I'm thinking it was more about not knowing my body rather than being fertile/infertile. And note, we did the "regular" way to get pregnant, no medical help. I just found out about a great book to help us get pregnant with our 2nd. "Taking charge of your fertility" by Toni Weschler. This book teaches you about your cycle/body and how to get pregnant or how to avoid pregnancy. And this is not the rhythm method! So that is another option if you are considering getting off the pill but don't want to get pregnant right away. Good luck :)

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

C.C.

answers from Dallas on

I found that I had problems with birth control, but it was due to another medical problem I had. SOME women have a hard time getting pregnant afterwards. The thing with warning is if one person suffers a side effect they have to warn everyone.
If you are really worried about it stop taking the birth control now and use condoms. As long as you are conscientious about using them they work great. It worked for my hubby and I. We stopped using them and got pregnant two weeks later. I think I have fertilizer in my womb.
Talk to a doctor or Planned Parenthood. They can give you more advice too. Also if you have suffered from irregluar periods before it may delayed you getting back on cycle. If you don't get on cycle right away it just means more intimacy so I don't see a problem.
Good luck, let us know what happens.

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

M.B.

answers from Colorado Springs on

The pill makes the lining of your uterus thinner - thus the lighter periods. Just make sure that once you decide to get off birth control you give it at least 6 months to start trying again so that the lining can recover and your body adjusts. I was on a pill for ten years and got pregnant three months after going off. Sadly I had a miscarriage at eight weeks. I suspect that it could have been because the uterus wasn't yet ready to have the fetus attach to it properly. The same thing happened to my girlfriend who got pregnant just two months after going off the pill. I do know plenty of other people who got pregnant soon after going on the pill and had beautiful and healthy babies. But I still say, better be safe than sorry. After the miscarriage it took us 13 months to get pregnant again and we have a beautiful and healthy baby boy. Good luck!

M.

E.S.

answers from Fort Collins on

I was on the pill for 9 years with no side effects. When my husband and I wanted to start a family I went off the pill around December and used other forms of birth control for three months (because it is recommended you don't get pregnant until it is completely out of your system). I was pregnant by the beginning of July! We never thought it would be that fast...but it was really only 3 months after we stopped preventing it. Everyone is different of course. I started back on the mini pill about 8 months after my son was born (I was breastfeeding so the regular pill is not recommended because of the estrogen) and started on the regular pill after I was done nursing when my son was 1 year. I haven't had any bad side effects and I plan to continue with the pill until we are ready to start trying for baby #2. :o)

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

H.F.

answers from Pocatello on

Most women can get pregnant about 1-2 months after they stop taking birth control pills. BCP use hormones to prevent pregnancy, they are also often prescribed to women who have irregular periods, poly cyctic ovaries, and a variety of other problems. The idea that BCP can cause trouble with fertility long term is untrue, the hormones from the pills will not stay in your system more than a couple of months after you stop taking them, and remember that your body produces the same hormones naturally, just not in the same concentrations. Personally I have used BCP because my Dr. prescribed them to treat my poly cyctic ovarian syndrome. She told me that taking the pill will actually preserve my fertility by stoping my body from creating the ovarian cycts, when I go off the pill to get pregnant I then have more healthy follicles that can then mature into healthy eggs rather than end up as painful cycts. I have been able to have 2 healthy pregnancies resulting in 2 adorable daughters, I am now trying for a baby boy!

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

S.H.

answers from Denver on

I heard similar info before I had my first baby, so my husband and I followed the advice of our friends, who had just had a baby: I went off the pill for 3 months and we used condoms during that time, then "pulled the goalie" (stopped using protection of any kind) after that 3 months. We didn't have any trouble getting pregnant. We did the same thing with my 2nd baby, and I got pregnant my first cycle! I think the 3 months allows time for all the hormones to get out of your body. My doctor says you don't really need to do this, but it doesn't hurt, either. :) GOOD LUCK! :)

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

M.I.

answers from Billings on

Hi E., I like you have the same fears about using birth control and have never been on it myself. I'm also Catholic and my religious convictions say it's a sin. You may not agree with that, but if you've never heard about natural family planning--the Catholic Churches "accepted" method of spacing children, you might want to do some searching on it. It's the only way of preventing pregancy I've ever heard of that is 100% side effect free, except that it reqiures abstaining from sex for a few days a month. I wish you luck, M.

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

A.P.

answers from Denver on

This is simply not true. I was on the pill for a LONG time and was able to get pregnant both times I wanted to. Meet with your OB/GYN and talk about family planning. I wouldn't worry about fertility until you've spent a year trying to get pregnant. Have fun trying! :)

For Updates and Special Promotions
Follow Us

Related Questions

Related Searches