The Surprising Side Effects to Expect When Ditching Birth Control for Baby-Making

by Marygrace Taylor

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Medically Reviewed by Jennifer Wu, M.D., F.A.C.O.G. |

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Woman holding Birth Control pills on Bed

Planning on going off hormonal birth control like the pill, patch, or IUD? Here's the best way to stop taking hormonal birth control, plus the surprising symptoms you may notice when you do.

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How should I stop taking hormonal birth control?
How do I stop taking non-hormonal birth control?
What are the side effects of going off birth control?
How can I manage the side effects of going off hormonal birth control?
When should I call the doctor about side effects of stopping birth control?

From the What to Expect editorial team and Heidi Murkoff, author of What to Expect When You're Expecting. What to Expect follows strict reporting guidelines and uses only credible sources, such as peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions and highly respected health organizations. Learn how we keep our content accurate and up-to-date by reading our medical review and editorial policy.

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CITATIONSOURCE#1
CITATIONSOURCE#2
What to Expect Before You're Expecting, 2nd edition, Heidi Murkoff.
Tarun Jain, M.D., Associate Professor of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, and Member of the What to Expect Medical Review Board.
American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Contraception and Mental Health: A Commentary on the Evidence and Principles for Practice, June 2015.
Fertility and Sterility, A First-Choice Combined Oral Contraceptive Influences General Well-Being in Healthy Women: A Double-Blind, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Trial, May 2017.
Planned Parenthood, How Does IUD Removal Work?, 2026.

Updates history

May 27, 2026

Editors: Jennifer Kelly Geddes/Rebekah Wahlberg

Updates to copy, sources, and formatting.

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