Can Birth Control Pills Cause Infertility In The Future?

Oops! Forgot protection during your recent lovemaking?? Not many couples worry about getting pregnant in such situations anymore if they’re on birth control pills. But there are many concerns that a woman has when starting them. The primary one being - “Can birth control pills cause infertility if they wish to conceive in future”. And this worry is not unfounded since there are many myths surrounding the use of birth control pills. Let’s address this concern in our blog today.

Can Birth Control Affect Your Fertility?

The straight answer to this is an emphatic - NO! Before getting into the details of it, we first need to understand what infertility is and its causes.

Infertility - Definition & Causes¹

Infertility is the failure to conceive after a year of trying continuously. This delay in conception can be caused by many factors such as:

• Polycystic ovary syndrome, or PCOS. It’s a hormonal imbalance that frequently disrupts the ovulation cycle.
• Benign tumours, also called uterine fibroids, that grow in the uterine lining.
• Endometriosis, where uterine tissues grows outside the uterus
• Low sperm count in men
• Other autoimmune diseases, infections, or family history

As you can see, none of these include birth control pills.

Birth Control Pills - Their Effect On Fertility

As we all know, a woman’s ovaries release eggs during ovulation. When the egg is fertilised by the sperm, it leads to pregnancy. Birth control pills, also called oral contraceptives, work by inhibiting the ovulation process that’s responsible for releasing eggs. Traditionally, many couples are asked to refrain from taking oral contraceptives based on hearsay about their ill effects on fertility. However, the fact remains that birth control pills do what they’re meant for - prevent “unwanted” pregnancies. But what many of us don’t know is that certain birth control pills can also reduce the risk of endometrial and ovarian cancer!²

But, can birth control pills cause infertility? Here’s a startling revelation - several scientific studies suggest that the use of oral contraceptives reduces the risk of Pelvic Inflammatory Diseases (PID) which is a major cause of infertility among women. So basically, this means that not only do birth control pills prevent unwanted pregnancies, they can actually protect your fertility.²

In another study, a group of women who were on a combination of oral contraceptives continuously for a year, were monitored for return to fertility. Nearly 97% of these women reported spontaneous periods within 90 days of stopping the pills.³

Then what makes people wonder if birth control pills can cause infertility? One of the reasons, experts suggest, is the likelihood that birth control pills hide existing fertility concerns. These include PCOS symptoms, irregular menstrual cycles, and even endometriosis. So, someone on birth control pills will never know that these fertility issues exist until they stop the pills. That’s when these health issues reappear, thus impeding their attempts to conceive.¹

Therefore, it’s important to note that while birth control pills cannot cause infertility, there’s a real need to guide couples who wish to stop contraceptives in order to conceive. 

How Long Do the Effects of Birth Control Pills Last?

There are different types of birth control methods.¹ These include:

• Oral contraceptives (Birth control pills)
• Birth control shots
• Contraceptive implants
• Patch
• Vaginal ring
• Hormonal intrauterine device

Once you stop taking the birth control pills or other methods of contraception, the effect may take around 1 - 2 weeks to wear off. This means that you can get pregnant in a few weeks following the cessation of birth control pills. However, the effects of birth control shots can take a longer time to wear off - with anywhere between 3 months to 2 years before your fertility returns to normal.¹

Ready For Pregnancy? Here’s What To Do

Now you know the time it’ll take for your body to get pregnancy-ready after stopping birth control pills. So, the first step would be - you guessed it - to stop birth control pills! You don’t really need to do any post-contraception detox nor do you have to wait for a longer time before trying. However, it makes good sense to start with some fertility-boosting habits. We’re listing out a few of them here:

• Start regular prenatal vitamins
• Give up smoking, caffeine & alcohol
• Manage stress
• Set up a regular exercise routine
• Eat a balanced, nutritious diet
• Take a fertility hormone levels test

For the last one, consider LifeCell’s OvaScore At-Home Test kit. It assesses 9 important female fertility hormones to give you in-depth insights into your fertility status. Just order it online, share a dried blood sample, and receive your results online within 3-5 days. It’s that simple! 

Most importantly, start with a positive mindset and don’t get swayed by popular myths.

Time For A Recap

Thanks for staying with us this far. Right at the start, we tackled the question- can birth control pills cause infertility? We hope this blog has been helpful in answering it. Birth control pills help prevent unwanted pregnancies, especially if they can lead to complications later on or if you’re simply not prepared for parenthood. 

At any point in time, if you feel you’re ready for pregnancy, you know what to do. Start the journey toward parenthood by tracking your fertility status with LifeCell’s OvaScore At-Home test kit. It gives insights into 9 important fertility hormones and helps you plan your way forward.

For more information, log on to www.lifecell.in

FAQ:

1. Does birth control harm future fertility?

No, birth control does not harm future fertility. All you need to do is stop them whenever you wish to get pregnant.¹

2. Is it harder to get pregnant after being on birth control for years?

No. Studies suggest that most women who were continuously on birth control pills for a year were able to return to normal menstruation cycles within 90 days of stopping oral contraceptives.³

3. Is birth control bad for you long term?

No. Birth control pills help you prevent unwanted pregnancies. In many cases, it was also found to prevent Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID) that causes infertility.²

4. How do I know if I'm infertile?

If you’ve been trying to conceive for more than a year without success, begin with tracking your fertility hormones. LifeCell’s OvaScore At-Home test kit helps you track 9 important female fertility hormones to give you insights into your fertility status.