Since the approval of the first birth control pill in the 1960s, millions of women have relied on hormonal contraceptives to prevent unintended pregnancies, regulate periods and manage other health issues.
In addition to oral contraceptives, popular birth control methods include intrauterine devices (IUDs), implants, vaginal rings and injections. About 63% of women ages 19–49 in the U.S. use some form of contraception, according to the latest data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
However, there's a growing backlash against hormonal birth control online, which experts fear could encourage young women to discontinue contraception without being properly informed.
On social media, misinformation about birth control is rampant. There are countless videos from influencers blaming the pill for everything from severe weight gain to pelvic floor dysfunction and infertility. Others promote “natural” methods that require awareness of one's fertility window, which are the least effective way to prevent pregnancy, according to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG).
Research presented at the 2025 American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists annual meeting shows a substantial number of the top social media videos tagged #hormonalbirthcontrol presented low-quality, misleading information and fostered negative perceptions.
The anti-birth control movement online comes at a time when the reproductive care landscape is shifting dramatically after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022. Currently, 41 states have abortion bans in effect, including 12 with total abortion bans, according to the Guttmacher Institute, a nonprofit that advocates for abortion access.
Birth control is safe and effective for most people when taken as directed by a doctor, according to ACOG.
Hormonal contraception, such as the pill, primarily works by delivering progestin, estrogen or both (called combination birth control) to prevent ovulation, Dr. Lucky Sekhon, a board-certified OBGYN and infertility specialist based in New York City, tells TODAY.com. Hormonal IUDs also prevent pregnancy by thickening the cervical mucus or thinning the endometrial lining.
However, hormonal birth control offers other health benefits. "Many people are on birth control not for contraception, but to manage medical problems," says Sekhon.
It can help regulate the menstrual cycle and reduce painful cramps, heavy bleeding or acne. Some people take birth control to help with conditions like endometriosis.
What to Expect When Stopping Birth Control
The most common reason people stop taking birth control is to get pregnant, says Sekhon. (If you're freezing your eggs, talk to your doctor about whether you need to stop your hormonal birth control and for how long.)
People may also go off birth control due to side effects, says Sekhon. There are many forms of hormonal birth control that have different types of hormones in different doses. Side effects will vary depending on the method and the person, Sekhon explains. These may include nausea, mood fluctuations, breast tenderness and breakthrough bleeding.
Often, these are temporary. "Some people may get off to switch to a different method, or stop altogether," says Sekhon.
Less commonly, people may need to stop taking certain types of birth because of a medical condition that may increase the risks. These include blood clots, a heart attack, or high blood pressure, Sekhon explains.
People also go off birth control due to relationship changes, menopause or if they opt for a permanent method.
Whatever your reason, it’s important to talk to your doctor about stopping hormonal birth control. It's a highly individual process that can cause unpleasant side effects and impact mental health. Here's what you may experience when getting off birth control:
Unpredictable Fertility
When getting off birth control, the most important change is being able to become pregnant. However, the timing is highly variable, Sekhon explains.
"A lot of people stop and everything just kicks back into gear," says Sekhon. For others, it takes time to for the body to return to a normal cycle and ovulate again. However, this isn't always easy to track precisely.
“Sometimes people go off of it when they’re not intending to get pregnant in that moment, but they want to see what their body does, and you have to be very careful,” says Sekhon, adding she recommends using barrier methods like condoms if you aren't trying to conceive.
It can take months or longer to resume ovulating for others. "The shot, which is an injection of progesterone, can have a lingering effect where people have delayed ovulation for over a year," says Sekhon.
In any case, "birth control is not dangerous for your fertility," says Sekhon. There's no evidence that long-term use negatively impacts your ability to conceive in the future.
Menstrual Changes
After stopping birth control, some women experience a withdrawal bleed — which is not a real period because you’re not actually ovulating — due to the sudden drop in hormones. As the body regulates, it’s common to experience delayed, irregular or heavy periods.
It may take weeks or months to return to a normal cycle, but if you had irregular periods before birth control, they may still be irregular after stopping. If you haven’t gotten a period within six months, this could be a sign that you aren’t ovulating and it’s time to talk to a doctor, Sekhon says.
Skin, Mood, Libido Changes
Stopping birth control may trigger other changes related to the body "finding its own hormonal rhythm," says Sekhon.
Skin changes and "post-pill acne" are a common and frustrating phenomenon. Many pills contain types of progesterone that suppress testosterone in the skin, which can help control oil production and reduce breakouts.
Quitting birth control may cause rebound acne, says Sekhon, but it depends on the person. Always talk to your dermatologist if you have concerns.
“You might also notice a change in your mood, energy or sex drive,” says Sekhon. The hormonal fluctuations may also cause headaches. Quitting birth may lead to slight fluctuations in weight for some, but it's unlikely to cause weight gain for most people.
PMS Returns
Many people take birth control in order to regulate their cycle and manage symptoms of premenstrual syndrome (PMS). These include fatigue, irritability, sadness, breast tenderness and bloating, per the Mayo Clinic.
"Some people use birth control to skip their periods because the withdrawal bleed still causes severe symptoms," says Sekhon.
After stopping birth control, these symptoms can reemerge or even worsen. "If PMS was something that bothered you prior to starting birth control, I would be on high alert," says Sekhon.
PMDD, or premenstrual dysphoric disorder, is a rare and serious disorder that "can interrupt a person's ability to function, their ability to work, and their relationships, " says Sekhon.
Combination birth control pills can help treat PMDD, so quitting the pill could cause the disorder to return. “Sometimes people also need to be on antidepressants," says Sekhon. Psychotherapy and lifestyle changes can help manage the reemergence of PMS or PMDD symptoms.
"People change and their mental health changes throughout their life, so it's not a given that it will recur when you stop, but it's something to talk to your doctor about."
"Masked" Conditions Come to Light
Some people who stop hormonal contraception may experience issues caused by an underlying condition that went undiagnosed because the symptoms were "masked" by birth control, Sekhon explains.
"If someone's been on the pill for 10–15 years, during that time conditions like polycystic ovarian syndrome can occur naturally," says Sekhon. PCOS causes hormonal imbalances that result in irregular or absent periods.
Sekhon says it's not uncommon for a person to be diagnosed with PCOS only after stopping the pill. “Sometimes people may feel betrayed when they find out in their 30s, but if they weren't trying to get pregnant during that time, birth control is the therapy I'd prescribe anyway,” says Sekhon.
The pill can help protect the uterus, lower androgen levels and treat manifestations of PCOS, like excessive hair growth, she adds.
Birth control can also inadvertently treat symptoms of endometriosis, which causes tissue similar to the lining of the uterus to grow outside the uterus. "Any form of hormonal contraception that stops ovulation can stop the process that leads to these painful cycles and the formation of scar tissue," says Sekhon.
Occasionally, a person may get off birth control and learn they have a condition affecting their pituitary gland, Sekhon adds.
Or in some cases, a person may realize after stopping birth control that they are not ovulating due to extreme stress, eating disorders or excessive exercise, as withdrawal bleeding when on hormonal contraception can make them think they are menstruating.
"It's not that the pill is this evil thing that caused these problems. It's just that you didn't know you had them this whole time," says Sekhon. Getting the right diagnosis and treatment is key.
If you're experiencing severe side effects or have health concerns about after stopping birth control, consult your doctor.
