Going off hormonal birth control can lead to a range of changes in your body. The effects vary from person to person and depend on factors like which birth control you were using. But there are some common things many people experience when they stop using hormonal contraception.
Periods Often Become Irregular
One of the most common effects of going off birth control is that menstrual cycles become irregular again. The synthetic hormones in birth control pills, patches, rings, shots and implants work to regulate your menstrual cycle. So when you stop taking them, your natural hormonal fluctuations assert themselves once more.
It’s very common for periods to become irregular, sporadic or even absent for some time after going off birth control. This irregularity can last for several months as your body adjusts. Each person’s experience is different, but examples include:
- Heavier, lighter or unexpected bleeding
- Longer or shorter cycles
- Absent periods
- More painful or symptom-free periods
Don’t be alarmed if your periods don’t become regular right away. It can take some time for your body to readjust and find its natural rhythm again. See your doctor if your periods haven’t regulated after 3-6 months.
Hormonal Acne May Improve
Many people report improvements in hormonal acne after going off birth control pills or devices that contain androgen-based progestin, like the implant or hormonal IUDs.
These forms of birth control can improve acne for some by lowering overall androgen hormone levels. But they can also worsen hormonal acne in others. That’s because the synthetic progestins can interact with androgen receptors in the body, mimicking some of the effects of the hormone.
When you stop using one of these birth control methods, your androgen levels naturally decrease again for most people. This hormonal shift can improve breakouts caused by progestin-related acne. It may take several months for this change to fully take effect.
Ovulation Resumes
Birth control pills, patches, rings and shots all work by suppressing ovulation. This stops your ovaries from releasing eggs each month. Within a month or two of discontinuing these forms of birth control, ovulation will resume again for most women.
Your fertility returns quickly after quitting these methods. You can get pregnant right away, even before your first period comes back. That’s why it’s essential to start another contraceptive if you want to prevent pregnancy.
The implant can also suppress ovulation for some women. After having it removed, your natural ovulation cycles should resume within a few months in most cases.
The hormonal IUD does not suppress ovulation for most people. So removing it may not cause any noticeable changes in when you ovulate each month.
Hormones May Need Time to Balance
Your body may need some time to regain hormonal balance after you stop taking oral contraceptives, the vaginal ring, patch, implant or shots. These all provide synthetic estrogen and progestin to override your natural hormone fluctuations.
Once you quit these methods, your hormone levels may be in flux as your body starts producing them on its own again. Estrogen and progesterone levels may be unbalanced at first, causing side effects like:
- Irregular periods
- Breast tenderness
- Mood changes
- Headaches
These effects are temporary for most women as your hormone levels even out again in the months after discontinuing birth control. If symptoms persist beyond 3-6 months, see your healthcare provider.
Fertility Returns
One of the most notable effects of stopping hormonal birth control is that your natural fertility returns. You can get pregnant as soon as ovulation resumes. This happens within one menstrual cycle for most women.
Even before your period comes back, you may ovulate and be able to get pregnant. So it’s important to start using condoms or another contraceptive right away if you want to prevent pregnancy.
Research shows fertility generally returns to normal within a few months after quitting birth control. The synthetic hormones don’t appear to have long-lasting effects on fertility for most people.
Some studies have found women using non-hormonal copper IUDs can have higher pregnancy rates after removing the IUD. This may be because copper IUDs increase cervical mucus, making it easier for sperm to reach the eggs.
Weight Changes Are Possible
Some people report losing or gaining weight after discontinuing hormonal birth control like the pill, patch, ring, shot or implant. Studies on this effect have mixed results:
- Some studies found an average weight gain of 5-15 pounds over 6-12 months after stopping oral contraceptives.
- Other research shows no significant weight changes for most women coming off the pill.
In general, any weight fluctuation after quitting hormonal birth control likely comes from fluid retention going down. The synthetic estrogens in these methods can cause you to hold onto fluid in your breasts, hips, and legs.
Once you stop taking them, this excess fluid tapers off for many women. Losing this fluid might result in weight loss on the scale, but not actual fat loss.
If you notice significant weight gain after quitting birth control, it may be due to increased calorie intake and/or lower metabolism. The pill might have given you a boost in metabolism that goes away when the hormones do.
Sex Drive Can Fluctuate
Levels of estrogen and progesterone decline when taking hormonal birth control. Lower estrogen particularly can lead to decreased libido in some women. On the flip side, the androgen effects from methods like the implant or hormonal IUD can also lower sex drive for some.
When you stop taking hormonal birth control, these hormone effects on your sex drive may change. Some women experience an increase in libido when their natural hormone levels balance out again.
But everyone responds differently. Some people’s sex drives stay lower, while others find little effect. There is a very wide range of “normal” libido between individuals.
Mood and Depression May Improve
Some women using hormonal contraception like the pill, patch or ring report mood changes like depression, anxiety and irritability side effects. The reasons are multifaceted, involving complex hormonal interactions in the brain that affect mood regulation.
When these synthetic hormones leave your system after quitting birth control, some women experience improvements in mood, depression and anger symptoms.
However, research overall does not show a clear causative relationship between oral contraceptive use and negative mood effects in most women. Some studies even find improved premenstrual mood symptoms with birth control use.
The effects likely depend on the unique balance of natural hormones in your own body and brain. Quitting hormonal birth control could potentially help if it was worsening mood issues for you. But it may not make a difference for some people.
Typical Timing of Changes After Stopping the Pill, Shot or Ring
Here’s a look at the typical timeline of changes you can expect in your body after discontinuing birth control pills, the patch, the vaginal ring, implant or shots:
| Time after stopping | Changes |
|---|---|
| Within 1 week | Synthetic hormones cleared from body |
| Within 1 month | Ovulation and fertility return |
| 1-3 months | Periods become irregular as body adjusts |
| 2-3 months | Estrogen and progesterone balance out |
| 3-6 months | Hormonal acne may improve |
| 3-6 months | Periods regularize for most women |
Symptoms like breast tenderness, headaches and fluid retention should resolve within 1-2 months. Mood changes could occur within a few months for some women.
But there is a huge amount of natural variation between individuals in all these effects when transitioning off birth control. It may take longer for some people’s bodies to adjust.
Effects of Stopping the IUD or Implant
The non-hormonal copper IUD has no direct hormonal effects on the body, so removing it leads to no systemic hormonal changes.
The hormonal IUD and birth control implant like Nexplanon contain progestin only. This has more localized effects on the uterus. Systemic hormone levels rebound quickly after removal.
The most common effects of removing these long-acting reversible contraceptives (LARCs) are:
- Fertility and ovulation return quickly
- Periods become irregular or heavier at first
- Acne could temporarily worsen for some women as hormone levels fluctuate
These effects are typically short-lived as your body adjusts in the first 1-3 months. The transition tends to be quicker and have fewer symptoms compared to coming off combination hormonal birth control.
Conclusion
Discontinuing hormonal contraception sets your natural hormone fluctuations back in motion. This biological shift accounts for most of the changes women experience when going off birth control. It takes time for your body to re-establish its own equilibrium again.
Be patient with your body as it adjusts to functioning without synthetic hormones. Allow 3-6 months for the effects to fully take place. See your doctor if you have severe or prolonged symptoms.
The pill, shot, ring, patch and implant do not appear to have any long-term effects on fertility or future health for most women. But they provide immediate contraception that returns when you resume them. Talk to your doctor about the pros and cons of all your birth control options.
