Birth Control Q & A

Can the pill protect against STDs?

Oral contraceptives and other hormonal forms of birth control such as IUDs do not protect you against STIs. It is advised you use barrier contraceptives such as condoms to protect against contracting STIs (OASH 2023).

Can birth control cause cancer?

Most data has found that taking birth control won’t increase your overall risk of cancer. However over longer periods of time it has been found that it can increase your risk for some cancers such as cervical cancer. Interestingly, it can also decrease your risk of other cancers such as colon cancer, endometrial cancer, and ovarian cancer (Mayo Clinic 2023).

Can birth control make you infertile?

No, birth control cannot make you infertile. Birth control can take one to two weeks for the birth control hormones to leave one’s body which means that one could get pregnant a few weeks after stopping birth control. In addition, it can hide other problems that affect fertility such as endometriosis or irregular periods. However, hormonal birth control doesn't affect your ability to have a baby in the future (Cleveland Clinic 2023).

Can birth control stop or delay your period?

Yes, birth control can stop or delay your period depending on the birth control you use. Some contraceptives can stop all menstrual bleeding, while some only stop it for three months (Mayo Clinic 2023).

Can I stop taking birth control at anytime?

It doesn’t make a significant difference to your overall health when you stop taking birth control. Some bleeding and a potential disruption to your menstrual cycle can be expected however (Mayo Clinic 2023).

Can birth control cause weight gain?

Studies have found that birth control has only a small effect on weight if it has a real effect at all. This is most likely due to one retaining fluid which can make one like they’ve put on weight (Mayo Clinic 2023).

Can birth control cause blood clots?

Some forms of birth controls are not recommended if you have a history of or at high risk of blood clots. If this is the case for you it is recommended to use a progestin only form of contraceptive over a combination hormone contraceptive which contains estrogen (Mayo Clinic 2023).

Do antibiotics decrease the effectiveness of birth control?

There is only one antibiotic that can decrease birth control’s effectiveness and that is Rimactane or rifampin. It is not widely used but can decrease effectiveness by impacting one’s ovulation (Mayo Clinic 2023).

How effective are IUDs?

IUDs are more than 99% effective making them one of the best methods of birth control. Less than 1 out of 100 people who have an IUD get pregnant each year (Planned Parenthood 2024).

Can birth control affect mental health?

The impact on mental health varies between person and birth control. Research suggests that hormonal birth control can affect one’s stress, mood and mental health. Hormones can impact different areas of the brain which can lead to symptoms of depression or anxiety (Kassel 2023).