• Birth control basics (3)

• Birth control options: Things to consider
• Breast-feeding and medications: What's safe?
• Teens and sex: Protecting your teen's sexual health

• Birth control pills (5)

• Delaying your period with birth control pills
• Choosing a birth control pill
• Birth control pill FAQ: Benefits, risks and choices
• see all in Birth control pills

• Other birth control options (12)

• Condoms
• Depo-Provera (contraceptive injection)
• Female condom
• see all in Other birth control options

• Natural family planning (4)

• Withdrawal method (coitus interruptus)
• Rhythm method for natural family planning
• Basal body temperature for natural family planning
• see all in Natural family planning

• Sterilization (6)

• Tubal ligation
• Essure
• Adiana
• see all in Sterilization

• Emergency contraception (2)

• Morning-after pill
• ParaGard (copper IUD)

• RSS Feeds

continued:

Birth control pill FAQ: Benefits, risks and choices

If you've been taking birth control pills for many years and decide to stop, can you stop at any time or should you finish your current pill packet?

In terms of your overall health, it makes little difference when you stop taking the pill. When you finally do stop the pill, you can expect some bleeding, which may change the rhythm of your menstrual cycle. But you can stop at any time.

Can you get pregnant during the week that you take the nonactive (placebo) pills?

Taking the nonactive pills doesn't put you at higher risk of unintended pregnancy. If you're taking your birth control pills exactly as directed, they're 98 to 99 percent effective at preventing pregnancy.

If, however, you've missed a pill — or several pills — during a cycle, you might be at higher risk of unintended pregnancy during that cycle. To be safe, use a backup form of contraception, such as a condom.

Do birth control pills cause weight gain?

Many women think so. But studies have shown that the effect of the birth control pill on weight is small — if it exists at all. Instead, you may be retaining more fluid, which can make you feel as if you've put on weight, particularly in your breasts, hips and thighs. The estrogen in birth control pills does affect fat (adipose) cells, making them larger but not more numerous.

How do birth control pills affect your risk of cancer?

Scientific evidence suggests using birth control pills for longer periods of time increases your risk of some cancers, such as cervical cancer and liver cancer, but it also decreases your risk of other types of cancer, including ovarian cancer and endometrial cancer.

The effect of birth control pills on breast cancer risk isn't quite clear. While some studies have shown a link between pill use and breast cancer, more-recent studies do not show an increased risk of breast cancer with the pill. If you're concerned about your risk of breast cancer, talk with your health care provider about whether the pill is the right contraceptive for you.

Do birth control pills affect cholesterol levels?

Birth control pills can affect cholesterol levels. How much of an effect depends on the type of pill you're taking and what concentration of estrogen or progestin it contains. Birth control pills with more estrogen can have a slightly beneficial overall effect on your blood lipid levels. In general, though, the changes aren't significant and don't affect your overall health.

Do birth control pills affect blood pressure?

Birth control pills may slightly increase blood pressure. If you take birth control pills, have your blood pressure checked regularly. If you already have high blood pressure, talk with your doctor about whether you should consider an alternative form of birth control.

Can women over age 35 continue taking birth control pills?

Although women older than age 35 used to be told to stop taking birth control pills, these limits no longer apply to healthy, nonsmoking women. However, birth control pills aren't recommended for women older than age 35 who smoke because of the risk of cardiovascular disease. If you're 35 or older and you smoke, you need to quit smoking before you can safely continue using birth control pills.

Can antibiotics decrease the effectiveness of birth control pills?

The effects of antibiotics on birth control pills may be overstated — except in the case of one antibiotic, rifampin. Studies clearly show that rifampin decreases the effectiveness of birth control pills in preventing ovulation. However, rifampin isn't used widely today.

Previous page
(2 of 2)

• See Also

Hand Scheduled
Section Focus
• Delaying your period with birth control pills
• Choosing a birth control pill
• Birth control pills: OK to take indefinitely?
• Seasonale: Is breakthrough bleeding more common?
• Minipill (progestin-only birth control pill)
• Combination birth control pills
• Birth control pills for acne?
• Birth control pills: Harmful in early pregnancy?

Related Links

Mayo Clinic Store

Check out these best-sellers and special offers on books and newsletters from Mayo Clinic.

• Try Mayo Clinic Health Letter FREE!
• The best arthritis treatments for a more comfortable and active life
• Mayo Clinic Five Steps to Controlling High Blood Pressure
• The Mayo Clinic Diet — Eat well. Enjoy life. Lose weight.

Register for our email service and receive a FREE Special Report!