Getting Off Birth Control: A Guide to Transitioning Safely

There are many reasons you may want to get off your birth control: you want to avoid the headaches and soreness it can cause, you want to switch to a different contraceptive method, or you want to try for a baby (congratulations!).

If you’re worried that getting off birth control will be a long and involved process, especially if you’ve been on it for a while, don’t be—it’s simpler than it seems. How you stop really only depends on:

1. Which form of birth control you’re currently using
2. Your preferred timing

Fortunately, we’re here to help you learn about how to get off birth control safely and smoothly for a seamless transition to your natural cycle.

Deciding to Stop Birth Control: Aspects to Consider 

When stopping birth control, it’s important to take into account the specific type you’re on. Why?

Your current birth control method will affect how you stop, the best timing for stopping, and the duration it takes for your natural hormone levels to settle. In this article, we’ll cover the most common hormonal contraceptive options, including:

• The birth control pill
• The birth control patch
• Vaginal rings
• Intrauterine devices (IUDs)
• Implants
• Injections

You might also consider why you want to get off birth control, as your reasoning may change your approach:

• Your current birth control is producing negative side effects – Birth control works wonders when it comes to preventing pregnancy, but it can also cause unwanted effects such as menstrual migraines, nausea, tender breasts, or changes in weight. If this is the case for you, it’s helpful to meet with your doctor to discuss your symptoms and determine the best solution before getting off birth control.

• You want to switch to a different form of birth control – When you stop taking birth control, you have the potential to become pregnant (once you begin ovulating). If this isn’t your goal, you’ll want to have a new birth control method lined up and ready to go. Luckily, you can safely switch immediately. However, you may still wish to speak with your doctor to find the best match.

• You want to become pregnant – Dreaming of having a baby girl or boy? While there’s always a risk of pregnancy after stopping birth control, the time it takes for birth control’s effects to wear off and for ovulation to begin again can vary based on your method of contraception. So, depending on how soon you want to become pregnant, you may decide to get off birth control sooner or later. (We’ll look at the full timeline for each birth control method later in this article.)

Understanding Birth Control and Your Body’s Readjustment Process

Your body is a master of adaptation. As easily as it can adjust to the effects of birth control, it can readjust when you go off it.

Let’s explore this by discussing how a common hormonal birth control method works: the pill.

Normally, when your natural estrogen and progestin hormone levels are high, it means you’re pregnant, so your body knows to stop ovulating.

Birth control pills prevent pregnancy by hijacking this feedback loop with synthetic estrogen and progestin. These synthetic hormones are convincing doppelgängers of the real deal; they trick your brain into believing you’re pregnant, which prevents ovulation and makes your uterus an uninviting place for an embryo to form. So, can you get pregnant while on birth control?

Theoretically, when taken precisely as prescribed—consistently and on schedule—the likelihood of pregnancy is extremely low. However, no birth control method is 100% effective. The pill, for example, has a typical use effectiveness rate of about 91%, meaning that 9 out of 100 women using this method for a year might become pregnant.

Soon after you stop using birth control, and these synthetic hormones have been cleared out of your system, your natural hormones will simply return to their usual program. This essential skill is thanks to the internal stabilizing process known as homeostasis.

So, it doesn’t matter how long you’ve been on birth control—you can always get off it when you’re ready, and your body will know what to do.

Safe Transition Tips for Stopping Birth Control 

So, you’ve made the decision to switch to a different form of contraception or put a little bun in the oven. What’s next?

Take a look at our top three recommendations.

1. Pick the Right Time to Stop

Determine the best time to get off your birth control based on your preferences, goals, and the method you use:

• The pill, birth control patch, or ring – If you use any of these methods, you can choose to stop using it immediately, or you can wait until you reach the end of your pack. The main benefit of waiting is that you’ll have a clearer idea of when your period will return, which, if you’re trying for a baby, can be a big help, scheduling-wise.

• IUDs and implants – With these methods, the right time to stop may simply be when you can squeeze in an appointment with your doctor (since you’ll need their help to remove it).

2. Stop

With self-administered or self-inserted birth control methods like an oral contraceptive, the patch, and vaginal rings, you can stop any time you’d like. Simply stop taking the pill, or remove your patch or ring. Similarly, if you’re on an injectable form of birth control, you can cancel your next injection appointment.

If you have an IUD or implant, you’ll need to schedule an appointment with your healthcare provider to remove it for you. Don’t try to remove an IUD on your own—it’s best to seek professional help to avoid any complications or pain.

3. Allow Your Hormones to Rebalance

Your natural hormones will quickly take over as soon as you stop using synthetic ones, kickstarting your normal cycle. The exact speed at which this happens, however, will depend on which birth control method you’re using.

Whether you’re switching to a different form of birth control or trying to conceive, this timing is crucial to note.

Here’s how soon you can expect to start ovulating after stopping different forms of birth control:

• The pill – On the combination pill (estrogen and progestin), it takes 1 to 3 months to begin ovulating again. With the progestin-only pill, which doesn’t actually prevent ovulation, you can get pregnant much sooner after stopping, typically within days or weeks.

• IUDs and implants – With these methods, you’ll either start ovulating right away or about a month after removal.

• Patches and vaginal rings – Once you’ve stopped using patches or rings, you’ll start ovulating in about 1 to 3 months.

• Injections – Unlike the above methods, injections require a longer period of time; about 10 or more months after stopping.

Despite these ovulation estimations, it is possible to become pregnant immediately after stopping any form of birth control. So, if you don’t want to conceive, it’s important to switch to a new form right away or use other contraception methods, like condoms, in the meantime.

If you do want to conceive, then get ready—your little one might be coming sooner than you think! Make sure you know how to get pregnant and know the journey looks different for everyone.

Managing Fertility and Cycle Changes Post-Birth Control 

While your cycle may return right after you get off birth control, it might not be the same as you remember it—at least for the first few weeks or months.

This is because getting off birth control can lead to temporary cycle changes, such as:

• Spotting
• Heavier, more irregular periods
• More painful period cramps
• Stronger premenstrual syndrome (PMS) symptoms
• Acne
• Changes in hair growth

These changes are sometimes referred to as “post-birth control syndrome,” though it’s not recognized as a formal diagnosis.

Often, these aren’t direct symptoms of getting off birth control, but rather your body’s natural response to its own hormones. If you’ve been on birth control for a long time, you may find that this response is different from what it was before.

Remember, you don’t need to do anything to regulate your hormones post-birth control—your body does it all on its own. Some people claim you should take supplements or do a detox, but there’s no evidence that these actions have any impact.

Instead, simply manage new cycle symptoms, observe any changes, and speak with your doctor if you have any concerns.

If you’re trying for a baby, you can start monitoring your fertility as soon as you get off birth control. (Why wait, right?) One way to help with monitoring fertility is to know how to increase AMH levels, which can be a key indicator of fertility. You can also monitor your cycle and ovulation.

To that end, consider tracking your ovulation by:

• Observing your body – During ovulation, your body will go through some subtle but telling changes. You’ll secrete more cervical mucus (which is typically an egg-white color and texture during this time), and your basal (resting) temperature will rise slightly.

• Using ovulation predictor tests – Ovulation tests work by measuring the hormone levels in your urine, similar to pregnancy tests. This tracking option will give you the most accurate fertility estimation. After you test positive, you’ll usually ovulate within about 36 hours. Then, it’s off to the races!

Transitioning to Parenthood: Start with SneakPeek’s Gender Test 

Getting off birth control is one of the first major steps you can take toward parenthood. After you get pregnant, you can take another step by learning the sex of your baby with help from SneakPeek®.

With the SneakPeek Early Gender DNA Test, you can learn your baby’s predicted fetal sex at only 6 weeks into your pregnancy—that’s well before your 20-week anatomy scan ultrasound!

It works like this: With our easy-to-use test kit, you’ll collect a blood sample from the comfort and privacy of your own home, and then send it back to the SneakPeek lab for next-day or same-day results. It’s as simple as that!

Try the #1 OBGYN-recommended at-home gender test, and see why over 1 million parents trust SneakPeek to deliver the news of their baby’s gender early.

Editorial Policy

At SneakPeek, our commitment is to provide accurate, up-to-date, and reliable information to empower our readers. Our content is thoroughly researched, reviewed by medical experts, and fact-checked to ensure its credibility. We prioritize the well-being and education of our readers, and our editorial policy adheres to the highest standards of integrity and accuracy in all our articles.

This post has been reviewed for accuracy by the following medical professional:

Katie Smith, MSN, APRN, CNM

Katie Smith is a seasoned Certified Nurse Midwife and a nurturing mother to six children, offering a unique blend of professional expertise and personal experience. She is the founder of Birth Your Way Midwifery and Women’s Wellness Center in Bay County, Florida. Katie's comprehensive approach to care is informed by her hands-on experience in motherhood and her passion for empowering women through their birthing journey. Her dedication extends beyond her center as she actively engages in community wellness and family health education.

Sources:

1. Nebraska Medicine. What happens to your body when you get off birth control? https://www.nebraskamed.com/health/conditions-and-services/what-happens-to-your-body-when-you-get-off-birth-control
2. Cleveland Clinic. Your Guide to Going Off of Birth Control. https://health.clevelandclinic.org/your-guide-to-going-off-of-birth-control
3. PBS. How the Pill Works. https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/pill-how-pill-works/
4. Penn Medicine Lancaster General Health. When to Stop Birth Control Before Trying to Conceive. https://www.lancastergeneralhealth.org/health-hub-home/motherhood/getting-pregnant/when-to-stop-birth-control-before-trying-to-conceive
5. Scienceline. What actually happens when you stop taking birth control? https://scienceline.org/2023/03/what-actually-happens-when-you-stop-taking-birth-control/
6. Mayo Clinic. What ovulation signs can I look out for if I’m trying to conceive? https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/getting-pregnant/expert-answers/ovulation-signs/faq-20058000