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Maternal (Expert Forum)
Affects of birth control pills
Patient medical question and answer from The Maternal and Child Health Forum. Health topic area and articles about newborn care
Affects of birth control pills
by Keri__0, Oct 08, 1998 12:00AM
Husband and I decided to stop using birth control in order to let nature take it's course. We would like to have a baby within the next year or two. This is my first week of not taking my birth control pills. I have taken them for over 5 years. Lately, I have been very tired. I'm trying to get into the habit of eating right and I've already started taking prenatal vitamins on the suggestion of my OB/GYN. Could the fact that I'm always tired lately have anything to do with not taking the pill?
Also, how common is it to be pregnant and still have a "period"? I've heard that this can sometimes happen.
Thank you for your response.
Keri
Dear Keri:
Fatigue is not a symptom of discontinuing birth control pills. It is a very common symptom and if it has been present for 1 week, I would first look to lifestyle or transient illness ("the flu") reasons.
I ask patients to use barrier contraception (foam, condom, diaphragm) from the last "pill period" until the first spontaneous menstrual period. The average time between these two events is 6 weeks, can be 12 weeks in some women, and up to 6 months for others. This is why one hears of women who became pregnant without having a menstrual period. Although uncommon, it creates confusion to make the diagnosis and to date the pregnancy.
Multiple vitamins containing more than 0.4 mg folic acid daily (often they contain 1 mg) are recommended in women attempting pregnancy. A balanced diet without excesses of any substance is also good.
KeywordsL oral contraceptives
This information is provided for education and is not a medical consultation. If you have specific questions, please contact your physician.
