In honor of the 50th anniversary of the birth control pill (on May 9, 1960, an advisory committee to the FDA recommended approval of the birth control pill, and it was approved 45 days later), I thought it was appropriate to clear up a few myths surrounding it.
Myth 1: The Pill Makes You Fat.
While some women seem to gain weight on the pill, it isn't quite so black and white. Estrogen in the pill can make some women feel bloated, but this typically goes away. And water retention is also a common side effect, but that can often be reduced by switching to a lower dose pill. Studies have actually shown that women often start the pill during a time in their life when they typically gain weight anyway, giving the pill a bad rap.
Myth 2: Long-Term Pill Use Can Affect Fertility.
Although some women may face a delay in becoming pregnant after stopping the pill, this is most likely due to the fact that they had irregular periods before starting it in the first place. In fact, fertility can return almost immediately after stopping the pill, and often times women may become extra fertile soon after going off the pill.
Myth 3: It's Good to Take a Break from the Pill if You've Taken it for a Long Time.
There's no medical reason to back this up; however, doctors do advise reviewing contraceptive needs after 15 years of being on the pill or at age 35.
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