Irregular Bleeding After Stopping Birth Control: What to Expect

Question
I stopped taking my birth control pill on Thursday Oct 26th and I just started bleeding today Monday Oct 30th but my period is not scheduled to come until November 11th.  Is this a normal side effect from not taking the pill?

I have taken the pill for over 13 years and my husband and I have decided to start trying to have a family

Answer
Dear Terri,

Yes, I would say this would be a "normal" side effect after going off the pill. Often, women experience irregular periods after discontinuing BCP use. Since the hormones in the pill have been doing all the regulating for quite some time, it may take a bit for your body to regulate itself. I've also seen research that says that it's common for women to bleed 3-5 days after going off the pill, especially if they don't end use after a full cycle. To my mind, this makes perfect sense since the sudden absence of the hormones in the pill tell the body it needs to ovulate and shed it's uterine lining.

I'd suggest you give your body a little more time to start regulating itself. You might experience some irregularity at first, so stay prepared. :-)

I wish you and your husband fantastic luck!