Your Questions Answered: “Do birth control pills affect my fertility?”
Good question!
In short, oral contraceptives do not appear to directly increase your risk of infertility. Oral contraceptives however, should come with a disclaimer.
There are other, indirect side affects, such as an increased risk of blood clotting and key nutrient depletion which can all affect future general health, as well as future fertility.
Here we explain.
Different contraceptives remain in your body for different periods of time. Numerous studies have shown that there is usually some delay in the time to conception once the use of contraceptives is stopped but this is a temporary delay and typically only lasts 1-3 months, but could last longer. For more information on the different types of female contraception available you can check out our article - 'Female Contraception - Your Options'.
The chance of a fertile couple conceiving within 12 months of stopping contraception (12 month conception rates) is between 70-90%. This is similar with IUDs (intrauterine devices), oral contraceptives and progestin only contraceptives. Both short- and long-term OC users are likely to experience a transient delay in conception compared with those discontinuing barrier methods (condoms).
Studies have shown that long term use of oral contraceptives do not increase your risk of infertility.
Injectable birth control (Depo-Provera) unlike other birth control such as the oral contraceptive, IUD and implant which leave your system quickly, requires more time to be removed from your system. Sometimes taking 10-18 months before natural ovulation resumes. If you are looking to conceive within a year, best to avoid this method and discuss a more suitable option with your doctor.
It’s important to understand that when taking the oral contraceptive pill you are in effect, blocking ovulation and substituting the naturally produced hormones for synthetic ones - which are not quite the same. The Pill contains progestins (drospirenone and medroxyprogesterone) that do not bear any resemblance to our own progesterone produced in the body. Progestins have been found to cause depression, hair loss and fatal blood clots. Naturally produced progesterone does not do this.
Risk of blood clots
All drugs have side effects we know, but according to some experts, the oral contraceptive pill (Yaz for example) is in a class of its own. Figures vary, but a 2011 FDA study of more than 835,000 women found that the risk of blood clots with this type of drug is up to three times that of other contraceptives. A 2011 Danish study of 1.3 million women, conducted over nine years and published in the British Medical Journal, found that a woman’s risk of blood clots is a staggering six times higher when taking either Yaz or Yasmin.
Nutrient deficiency
The pill also disrupts normal nutrient absorption and so you may become deficient while on the OC pill. “A report from the World Health Organization (WHO) points out that the influence of oral contraceptives on nutrient requirements is a topic of high clinical relevance and should, therefore, receive great attention. It has been shown that there are key nutrient depletions in women taking OC’s concerning folic acid, vitamins B2, B6, B12, vitamin C and E and the minerals magnesium, selenium and zinc.’
It is therefore important to ensure that you are consuming adequate amounts of these key nutrients, either from food or supplementation whilst on the pill and also when coming off the pill and looking to conceive. These nutrients all play key roles in your fertility and achieving a healthy pregnancy.
Interested in this topic, check out full article - 'Female Contraception - Your Options'.
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