The birth control pill works to prevent pregnancy and regulate the menstrual cycle with the use of hormones. Most pills are taken on a 21- or 28-day cycle to maintain consistency. With so many birth control choices, it is not uncommon to stop and start methods. It is possible to stop birth control at any time, but there are a few potential side effects you should consider. Breakthrough bleeding, an irregular period, mood changes and the risk of pregnancy increase when you stop taking the birth control pill.
Step 1
Prepare for and review potential side effects of stopping the birth control pill mid-cycle. In most cases, light bleeding may occur soon after you stop taking the pill. You may get your period within a few days of stopping the hormones.
Step 2
Use a back-up method of birth control if you don't want to get pregnant. Condoms, spermicide or a diaphragm are hormone-free options you can use. Without the hormones from the pill, you will regain fertility immediately. In some cases, women may have difficulty conceiving within the first one or two cycles after stopping the pill.
Step 3
Try to complete the current pill pack if at all possible. Allowing your body to finish the current cycle and begin the new one without the birth control pill will present fewer, if any, side effects. If you are beginning a new hormone-based birth control option, like the patch or the ring, you may begin the new method immediately. For example, if you stop the birth control pills at the end of the second week, you may begin the third week with the application of the patch or the insertion of the ring. Other methods, like the shot or the intrauterine device (IUD), may also be started immediately.
Things You'll Need
- Barrier method birth control (optional)
