Oral contraceptives are taken primarily to prevent pregnancy and are approximately 99 percent effective when taken correctly. The birth control pill is taken daily and is considered safe for most women of child-bearing age. The time might come when a woman decides to conceive a child or switch her method of family planning, and she might choose to discontinue taking her oral contraceptive.
How Birth Control Pills Work
Most birth control pills contain two hormones, estrogen and progestin. This combination of hormones prevents pregnancy by suppressing ovulation and keeping the uterine lining thin.
Ovulation
Oral contraceptives prevent a woman's ovaries from producing and releasing mature eggs. Once a woman discontinues taking the pill, she can expect ovulation to return within two to six weeks, and she will be able to conceive unless other methods of birth control are used.
Menstruation
The controlled dosage of hormones provided by birth control pills helps maintain a regular, 28-day menstrual cycle. Irregular periods might result when the pill is discontinued. The progestin in oral contraceptives also thins the endometrium, the uterine lining that is shed each month producing a period. When the additional progestin has left the system, a thicker endometrial lining might mean heavier periods.
Spotting
A woman might choose to discontinue taking birth control pills at any point during her cycle. There is no medical reason to complete a package of birth control pills. Spotting is normal, and alternate birth control should be used immediately if pregnancy is not desired because it is difficult to predict when ovulation will resume.
