INFRTILITY
Can Birth Control Cause Infertility? The two hormones responsible for fertility, progestin, and estrogen, are found in almost all forms of birth control. Emergency contraception can prevent the system from ovulating, alter cervical mucus to make it more difficult for sperm to access the cervix, or alter the uterine lining to prevent eggs from attaching. These hormone therapies might have a variety of effects on individual women. And it raises the question of whether birth contraception causes infertility in many women.
What is infertility?
If a couple tries but fails to conceive within a year, healthcare providers deem them infertile. When a woman reaches the age of 35, the time spent attempting to conceive falls to six months, and she is diagnosed with infertility. Women over the age of 40 must be assessed as soon as possible. Miscarriage or inability to carry a kid to term is not considered infertility.
What are the reasons for infertility causes?
Infertility can be caused by a variety of factors, including:
- The reproductive system is an issue for one out of every three infertile women.
- His male reproductive system is an issue for one out of every three infertile males.
- One out of every three couples has an issue that impacts all of them or an unidentified problem.
What is the prevalence of infertility?
One out of every ten women between the ages of 15 and 44 has difficulty conceiving. Pregnant women who have issues may lose their babies:
- During the first 20 weeks of pregnancy (miscarriage).
- From the 20th week of gestation onwards (stillbirth).
What types of infertility are there?
Infertility can take several forms, including:
- Primary: Any woman who has never been pregnant and is unable to conceive after a year without birth control.
- Secondary infertility occurs when a woman is unable to conceive after having at least one healthy baby.
If the person is 35 or older, some physicians may diagnose infertility after I had six years of sex without contraception. Infertility affects about 15% of couples, according to Trusted Source. Because any vaginal sex during this time would be “protected” by your form of contraception, the inability to become pregnant while on birth control would not be classified as infertility. Although fertility may be delayed once birth control chemicals have been removed from the body, the average range normally returns within a few months at the most.
How likely are you to become infertile after using birth control?
About 15% of couples have infertility (failure to conceive within a year) [6], and women who are using hormonal contraception are concerned about their fertility being delayed or compromised if they stop using it.
When you’re on birth control, do you ovulate?
No, in a nutshell. The basic answer is that if you take the pill regularly, your ovulation will halt, and your period will be withdrawal bleeding rather than a “real” period. Continue reading to learn more about how the medication affects your body.
What happens if you’re taking birth control and get pregnant?
You should stop using the birth control pill if you test positive. Ectopic pregnancy is more likely if you become pregnant while being on birth control. When a fertilized embryo connects outside the uterus, usually in the fallopian tube, it is called an ectopic pregnancy.
Are there any telltale indications of infertility to look out for?
The most noticeable is the inability to conceive after over a year of trying. However, you may notice other signs of possible infertility before that. If, after a few months of taking birth control, your monthly period hasn’t returned and is still irregular, it’s time to see a doctor or even another healthcare professional.
Hormone fluctuations in women with uteruses can lead to:
- Problems with the skin
- I gained weight
- decreased sex drive
Things to be aware of if you do have a penis include:
My libido fluctuates
- ejaculation or erection difficulties
- Swelling or discomfort in the testicles
Is birth control a factor in infertility?
The pill has no effect on fertility, contrary to popular belief. It’s easy to see why there are misconceptions regarding whether birth control pills cause infertility because some women have experienced a delay in restarting ovulation and menses after using them for a long time. It can take months for some women to resume menstruation after discontinuing birth control.
“When you’re on the pill, your menstrual cycle is practically fake.” According to Robert Setton, M.D., “that artificial cycle can disguise an underlying ovulatory disorder” (Manhattan, NY). “Birth control pills frequently mask changes in the body, including such shifts in increased fat content and stress that could interrupt a female’s cycle,” Setton continues.
Is it possible to find out if you’re infertile?
There is no one-size-fits-all infertility test. Doctors employ a range of methods to discover any issues that could be causing reproductive issues. A Pap smear, which is used to identify anomalous cells surrounding the cervix, may be performed on you.
Why are birth control tablets required for women who are storing their eggs to safeguard their future fertility?
Women who would like to freeze their eggs will be using contraceptive pills to help time the start of their cycle to help follicles expand at the same rate, just as they would during infertility treatment. Birth control can also be utilized to manage your cycle so that egg retrieval occurs when you want it to.
In some situations, it may be recommended that women who’ve been on birth control pills for just a long time and want to freeze their eggs cease taking them for a brief length of time before undertaking an egg freezing cycle. The ovaries are over as a result of the lengthy pill use in certain circumstances, and releasing them from that repression allows for a much stronger response to injections.
Without Hormonal Birth Control, Preventing Pregnancy:
Although the body of studies demonstrates that hormonal contraception does not cause infertility, it comes with additional dangers and side effects, which some people would rather avoid. Is this to say that there’s no way to avoid being pregnant? Most emphatically not!
You might want to think about barrier methods, which can save you from pregnancy while still not messing with your hormones. Condoms, diaphragms, or cervical caps are some of the contraception alternatives available.
Verywell’s Message:
Whether you’re trying to figure out which type of birth control is best for new family planning or that you’ve recently stopped using birth control, you’re bound to provide some questions. While the recovery of your natural monthly cycle may be delayed after using hormonal contraception, experts agree that long-term birth control is not a cause of infertility, thus using contraceptive pills to avoid pregnancy now would not impact your potential to conceive later. No matter what your short-or long-term intentions are, speaking with a healthcare expert is always the best course of action.
Seek the advice of a healthcare provider:
Women who wish to get pregnant should talk to their doctor about the risks of quitting birth control and also how long it will take to get pregnant. Couples who are having trouble conceiving might consult a fertility doctor for diagnosis and treatment options.
Alternative Birth Control Techniques:
There is a catch with the Depo-Provera shot: once you stop getting injections, the hormones take about 9 months to leave your system. According to the research, 21 percent of women who stopped taking the pill after seven years were pregnant within one month, and 79 percent were pregnant within a year.
One current concern is that women are delaying having children, making it difficult for them all to conceive. For example, with procedures like the shot and the IUD, a woman should wait a month before trying to conceive. This doesn’t really mean she is infertile; rather, it means she will have to wait longer for the birth control chemicals to exit her system.
So, if you’re presently getting the shot and want to get pregnant soon, it’s preferable to stop taking it relatively soon. The conception method is another option for family planning. This technique requires a woman to be aware of her body’s natural indicators of fertility and to use this information to prevent fertilization; it could also be used to conceive.
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What happens to the cervix and your cervical mucus if you use birth control?
Erik Odeblad’s research contributed to one notion of how birth control affects cervical mucous. Dr. Odeblad was indeed a Swedish scientist and researcher who devoted most of his time investigating and explaining cervical mucus secretion, specifically the numerous types of mucus generated at different stages of a woman’s cycle and life, as well as its role and makeup.
Dr. Odeblad was among the first researchers to employ MRI technology for medical study, and he determined there are at least 3 distinct forms of cervical mucus as a result of his research. Dr. Odeblad named the three varieties of cervical mucus G, L, & S, and discovered that each one has a particular purpose and is secreted by a different type of cervical crypt during different points during a woman’s cycle and life.
Dr. Odeblad discovered that a young lady has an abundance of S crypts just after puberty, but as she gets older, the quantity of S crypts declines, and the S crypts are replaced by L crypts. Dr. Odeblad observed that S mucus (secreted by S crypts) is the sort of mucus that is required for fertilization: it allows sperm to pass through, transport them, and nourish them.
Dr. Odeblad appears to have discovered that hormonal contraception reduces a woman’s number of S crypts. Based on his findings, Dr. Odeblad concluded, “For each year that pill is taken, the cervix ages by one extra year,” he concluded, based on his findings. He theorized that long-term hormonal contraceptive use could reduce a female’s ability to conceive due to the destruction of S crypts within her cervix.
Although Dr. Odeblad’s findings have not been analyzed in a peer-reviewed study, they are not without precedent, as there is previous evidence that hormonal birth control can have an effect on cervical tissues. Long-term usage of oral contraceptives has also been linked to an increased risk of cervical cancer [4], as well as faster maturation and cell proliferation of cervix epithelial tissue.
Benefits of health control of health:
Birth contraception has numerous health benefits. According to research, using hormonal contraceptives over five years or longer can help cut a person’s risk of ovarian cancer by nearly half. According to a 2018 study published in JAMA Oncology, the pill significantly lowered the chance of developing endometrial or ovarian malignancies and could be used as a preventative medication.
Oral contraceptives are frequently the first line of treatment for women with endometriosis or severely painful periods (dysmenorrhea). These drugs can help individuals with the polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) regulate their periods and lower testosterone levels, which can lead to excessive hair growth and acne.
Hormone-containing IUDs have also been demonstrated to reduce the pain associated with endometriosis and to reduce excessive uterine bleeding.
What are the different infertility treatments?
Fertility is managed in men with:
- Surgery if the reason is a varicocele (widening of the scrotal veins) or a blockage inside the vas deferens (sperm tubes).
- Antibiotics are used to treat infections of the reproductive organs.
- Medications and therapy to help with erection and ejaculation issues.
- Hormone therapies can be used if a higher or lower level of specific hormones is the problem.
Infertility in women is treated with:
- Hormones and fertility medications to help the woman ovulate or to restore hormone levels
- Surgeries to remove material that is obstructing fertility (for example, endometriosis) or to unblock blocked fallopian tubes.
Artificial insemination technology, or ART, can be used to treat infertility in both men and women. ART can be divided into various categories:
- IUI (intrauterine insemination): When a woman is ovulating, sperm is harvested and deposited directly into her uterus.
- IVF (in vitro fertilisation): Sperm and eggs are collected and combined in a laboratory. The fertilised egg will grow for 3 to 5 days after fertilisation. The embryo is then implanted in the uterus of the woman.
- GIFT (gamete intrafallopian transfer) and ZIFT (zygote intrafallopian transfer): Sperm and egg are harvested and inserted in a fallopian tube as rapidly as possible. Both sperm and eggs are deposited in the fallopian tube with GIFT. In ZIFT, sperm and eggs are combined in a lab, and a fertilised egg is then inserted in the tube after 24 hours.
Complementary and alternative medicine.
There is no proof that complementary therapy for reproductive issues is successful. Further research is needed, according to the National Agency for Healthcare Research Excellence (NICE), before such interventions can be suggested.
What if you don’t become pregnant after you’ve stopped using birth control?
Active Performance in EuropeOral contraceptives conducted a study of 2,000 females who wished to become pregnant after using the contraceptive pill for seven years. The following is what the researchers discovered:
- After discontinuing birth control, 21% of women became pregnant within one cycle.
- Within a year, 79 percent of women get pregnant.
- Pregnancy rates were lower in adults over the age of 35.
The researchers concluded the birth control had no influence on fertility because these findings represent the probability of conception in the overall population. So, why is it that the misconception that birth control tablets can cause infertility persists?
Another widespread myth regarding birth control tablets is that they make her menstrual cycle regular. This could be the answer. They appear so, but only if the hormone levels are kept in check, resulting in a ‘false sense of regularity and bleeding. If your periods were unpredictable before you started taking the pill, they will return to their normal, i.e., erratic, pattern once you stop. As a result, it’s always possible that a birth control pill was masking some underlying problem that would only become apparent once you stopped taking it.
When You Stop Using Birth Control, Here’s What to Expect:
Because many birth control techniques modify the amounts of hormones in your body, it’s common to have adverse effects while starting or stopping a new birth control method. It’s also worth noting that if you stop using birth control, you could become pregnant. The following are some of the possible adverse effects:
- Unpredictable periods
- Acne caused by hormones
- Emotional ups and downs
- Longer periods
- PMS (personal message system)
- Loss of weight
- A six-month period of minor hair loss
- Improved libido
- Vitamin D deficiency
When it comes to discontinuing birth control, each woman will have a unique experience. You might notice some of these negative effects, but you might not notice any at all.
For various women, different types of birth control are effective. Consult your doctor to choose the best method of birth control for you and to learn about the many negative effects that emergency contraception might cause. If you’re currently on birth control and are considering stopping, it’s a good idea to speak with a fertility doctor about what to expect or what is normal. You may rest assured that using contraceptive pills will not harm your ability to conceive in the future.
If a man has the following symptoms, he should see a doctor:
- A low sperm count, as well as other sperm-related issues
- Testicular, prostate, or sexual difficulties in the past
- has had cancer treatment.
- Swelling inside the scrotum or small testicles
- Other members of your family who have struggled with infertility
When should you see a doctor?
Unless you’ve been trying to get pregnant on a regular basis for at least a year, you probably don’t get to see your doctor about infertility. If a woman has any of the following symptoms, she should consult with a healthcare provider as soon as possible:
- You’re 35 or older, and you’ve been trying to get pregnant for at least six months.
- Are you over the age of 40?
- have sporadic or non-existent periods.
- Have excruciatingly painful menstrual periods
- Have you ever had reproductive issues before?
- You’ve been told you have endo or pelvic inflammatory disease.
- I have experienced a number of miscarriages.
- I have received cancer therapy.
Final Thoughts:
Overall, most evidence demonstrates that birth control has no long-term effects on infertility. It’s best to seek the advice of a fertility specialist if you’re having trouble conceiving or planning a family. Our fertility specialists in NYC and the surrounding areas work hard to create individual treatment regimens that take into account many aspects of your life or health, bringing you one step closer to starting your dream family!