Stopping the Birth Control Pill: What Happens to Your Hormones & Fertility

Top nutrient deficiencies from long term birth control pill use: Does birth control cause infertility?

By Dr. Cynthia Hall, ND

4 MINUTE READ

How Does Stopping Birth Control Affect Fertility?

For most women, fertility begins to return within weeks to a few months after stopping birth control. However, some may experience temporary hormone imbalances, nutrient deficiencies, irregular cycle or symptoms as the body readjusts to its new normal.

What Happens When You Stop Birth Control Pills?

In cases where you have been using hormones to prevent pregnancy (ex. the oral contraceptive pill, IUD, injection or patch) and have recently stopped, you are most likely experiencing deficiencies of vitamins and minerals. These deficiencies may be affecting your ability to get pregnant and to maintain a healthy pregnancy. Some of the more common nutrients that I see depleted with hormonal contraceptive use are:

• Iron

• B Vitamins - folate (B9), riboflavin (B2), pyridoxine (B6), cobalamin (B12),

• Vitamin C

• Magnesium

• Selenium

• Zinc

These nutrients are not only important for the optimal functioning of your red blood cells (iron), immune system (vitamin C, zinc), nervous system (B9, B12) and metabolism (B2, B6, magnesium, selenium) -- but they are also very important for hormone health, healthy weight management, fertility and pregnancy.

Why Some Women Feel Worse Before They Feel Better

1. Low Vitamin B6 is implicated in:

   • Morning sickness (nausea and vomiting) seen in many pregnancies.

   • Low mood and depressive symptoms. B6 is important in many reactions related to the production of mood neurotransmitters: serotonin, dopamine and GABA.

   • Healthy brain and nervous system development, and cardiovascular health

2. Low Vitamin B9 (Folate) is implicated in:

   • DNA replication and synthesis (in both mom and fetus)

   • Fetal nervous system development and prevention of spina bifida and anencephaly

3. Low Vitamin B12 is implicated in:

   • Fetal nervous system growth

   • Forms of anemia

   • Nerve damage

4. Low Iron is implicated in:

   • Fatigue

   • Shortness of breath

   • Low stamina

   • Easy bruising

   • Poor sleep

   • Forms of anemia

   • Anxiety

5. Low Vitamin C is implicated in:

   • Immune system function

   • Adrenal health

6. Low Zinc is implicated in:

   • Immune system function

   • Hair and nail growth

Does Birth Control Cause Infertility?

No, this is a huge myth. Strong evidence supports that contraception does not impair long-term fertility.

This doesn’t mean that you should ignore any symptoms you may have after stopping the Pill. The Pill may temporarily mask underlying hormone imbalances.

How Long Does it Take Hormones to Balance After Birth Control?

It varies with each patient, but many women take 3-6 months to fully regulate their cycles and hormones.

If you are wondering what a Normal Menstrual Cycle looks like, check out the link below to read more:

How Long Does it Take for Fertility to Return?

Everyone’s fertility journey is different. Research shows most women regain fertility within a few months after stopping hormonal contraception.

One of the more cost-effective ways to address potential nutrient deficiencies is through eating a diet mainly of whole foods: red meat, poultry, eggs, fish (tuna, salmon), dark leafy greens (spinach, Swiss chard, kale), fruits, nuts & seeds (pumpkin, chia, sesame, sunflower, almond cashews, peanuts, Brazil nuts).

Unfortunately, in reality, food is not as nutrient dense as it once was — meaning lower levels of valuable vitamins and minerals.

If this sounds familiar, to ensure you are getting optimal amounts of these vitamins and minerals to replenish your stores, I advise supplementation.

Supplementation refers to two different options:

1. Incorporating a daily high-quality multivitamin that is rich in a variety of vitamins and minerals. And/or

2. For a more targeted approach, incorporating injection and/or IV therapy. Bypassing the digestive tract can increase the overall absorption of these vitamins and minerals.

How to Support Your Body After Birth Control

Here are some easy ways to make sure you are getting a high quality prenatal vitamin:

1. “Methylated” B Vitamins

   For example: rather than folate, the ingredient is ‘methylfolate’. When folate is absorbed into the body, you convert it to methylfolate (the bioavailable and active form). B vitamins that already include “methyl” will be easier for your body to put to work. Methylated B vitamins bypass possible road blocks seen commonly in MTHFR gene mutations.

2. Vitamin Ingredients to Avoid:

   Now it is time to take a look below at the “Other Ingredients” list on the bottle. Here a couple ingredients that you want to steer clear of:

   • Titanium dioxide, a common additive, has shown to be toxic to cells and genes, increase inflammation, and cause cancer in rat studies. I recognize humans are not the same as rat studies, but it is an effect I am not willing to ignore.

   • Many Dyes, have been found to increase risk of cancer, hypersensitivity reactions and are genotoxic.

   • Gluten

   • Dairy

Though the price-point of professional supplement brands may be slightly higher than what you find at the local store, these brands are of significantly higher quality. Higher quality promotes better absorption and bioavailability; ultimately, more bang for your buck.

There are cases where supplementing individual vitamins and minerals is indicated. It is best to consult a health care professional before to ensure you are taking an optimal dose. In these cases, if you are pregnant or trying to conceive, consult a health care professional. In too high amounts, some vitamins and minerals can be harmful to a growing fetus.

How to Find Out if You Have Low Levels of Nutrients

Many women I work with require a more specific and accurate picture of their overall nutrient status. There are reliable blood tests that assess multiple vitamins and minerals. Tests for some of the more common vitamins may be covered by your insurance plan (ex. B6, B9, B12, iron).

There are more comprehensive tests that cover over 50 nutrients in the blood and measure nutrient levels within the cells themselves. Though these tests may not be covered by your insurance plan, they provide a robust baseline.

Learn more about Dr Hall’s available services by clicking the link below.

Comprehensive fertility and women’s health support is available via telehealth across California and New Hampshire.

Join Dr Hall’s appointment wait list to be the first to know when she is accepting new patients September 2026.

References:

PMID: 23852908, 27348598, 2047064, 22102928, 30781902, 26391178, 35895099, 35127297, 27763531, 23026007