Too Legit To Quit

Is there ever a health reason to consciously uncouple from your hormonal birth control (BC)? The answer: probably not. If you're still curious, let us be your guide.

- COURTNEY RUBIN

It’s hard to scroll through Insta these days without seeing posts about how someone is taking a break from sugar… or booze or dating apps (unless, of course, you’re doing your own digital detox). So maybe it was inevitable that the Pill would make the list of things it’s become trendy to hit pause on. 

Search ‘birth control detox’ online, and you’ll see a slew of results from blogs and forums peddling the idea that your body needs a breather from the faux hormones in some BCs. Some companies are even pushing supplements that are supposed to ‘restore balance’ and help ‘purify’ your uterus post-Pill. The only problem? The notion that you need a break from your birth control is totally a myth.

What experts say you should know: you don’t need a cleanse from hormonal BC, even if you’ve been on it for years. If and when you stop, your body will return all on its own to how it was before you started your baby-preventing prescription – no ‘flushing’ or ‘cleansing’ necessary.

“We hear so often, ‘My girlfriend told me it’s time to take a break’ or ‘My hairdresser said I have to go off,’ ” says Dr Andrew Kaunitz, an obstetrics and gynaecology professor. But he says there’s no such thing as being on the Pill, patch or ring for too long unless you experience a major change in your health, age or lifestyle that suddenly makes the risks outweigh the benefits (more on that in a sec).