Although birth control pills on the market today are much safer than when they were first introduced, questions still abound about how they work and their side effects. Here’s what experts say you should know before taking the medication
Yes. Research shows people who have ever used the pill have aand colorectal cancer by 15 to 20 percent, according to the National Cancer Institute.There’s no solid evidence that suggests it does overall, but studies have found that anywhere between 5 percent and 48 percent of people on the pill report aThis would make sense, Hill says, because the pill lowers testosterone levels, a hormone that promotes libido in women.
No. You can get pregnant immediately after you stop taking the pill, no matter how long you’ve been on it. In fact, you’re highly likely to get pregnant the month after you get off the pill because your hormones experience a “rebound effect,” Teal says, making you more fertile than usual. The pill may alsoHowever, fertility naturally declines with age, Kaiser warns. So if you started taking the pill at age 18 and you now want to get pregnant at 36, your baseline fertility is going to be different, Kaiser says, “not because of the pill but because you’re older.”Absolutely not, Hill says.
Side effects are normal, common, and temporary. About two to three months after starting the pill, your body will have adjusted to the hormonal changes and any uncomfortable symptoms should go away.Only you know what’s best for you and your health at any given time. You may want toif you’ve had conditions like uncontrolled hypertension, a blood-clotting disorder, severe diabetes, stroke, or lupus.
When it comes to health risks, however, there’s no denying the fact that pregnancy is the most serious of them all, experts say.
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