Birth Control Side Effects List: 5 Risks Women Should Know

QUICK SUMMARY

Birth control side effects are often pushed to the side because the conversation quickly becomes political, cultural, or religious. But women deserve better than talking points. They deserve honest mentorship, compassionate discipleship, and clear information about what hormonal birth control does in the body.

The message of this article is simple: birth control is never necessary to create true hormone balance, menstrual regularity, clear skin, or Biblical health. When the pill is prescribed for acne, irregular periods, cramps, PMS, heavy bleeding, or “hormone balance,” it may suppress symptoms, but it does not heal the root cause.

This is not about shaming women who have taken birth control, are currently taking it, or were never taught another way. There is no condemnation here. Our heart is to come alongside women and families, disciple them in Biblical health, and help them make wise, informed decisions. The proposed benefits of birth control do not outweigh the risks, including research-linked concerns about breast cancer, cervical cancer, yeast infections, blood clots, mood changes, weight frustration, libido changes, and other side effects.

Whenever the topic of birth control risks is brought up on a statewide or national level, the discussion usually centers on women’s rights and religious persuasion. Although both of these topics are significant and valid, the focus has completely shifted away from whether or not “the pill” is safe or dangerous to use.

The length of the birth control side effects list is long, but far too many people avoid talking about the issue altogether. And when women do ask hard questions, they are too often dismissed, mocked, or told, “That’s just normal.”

It’s not normal for women to feel unheard.

It’s not normal for young girls to be placed on hormone-altering drugs for acne or irregular cycles without anyone asking why their hormones are struggling in the first place.

And it’s not Biblical health to silence the body’s warning signs instead of stewarding the body with wisdom.

Research on Birth Control Risks

To add fuel to the fire, women in today’s society are brought up to believe that it’s completely safe to take the pill, and many women are given a prescription by their medical doctor to regulate menstrual cycles, balance hormone levels, reduce cramps, manage acne, or “fix” symptoms that may actually be warning signs of a deeper imbalance.

In the United States, 2022–2023 National Survey of Family Growth data showed that 54.3% of females ages 15–49 were currently using contraception, and oral contraceptive pills were one of the most common methods, used by 11.4% of females ages 15–49. (1)

Just think about it:

Does a healthy woman require pharmaceutical intervention to maintain hormone balance and menstrual regularity? No! That’s the point!

Birth control is never necessary for normal, healthy female physiology. A woman may be told it is “necessary” because her cycle is irregular, her acne is flaring, her cramps are intense, or her hormones are “off,” but that is not the same thing as healing. The pill does not restore Biblical health. It overrides the body’s natural hormone rhythm.

Many women are in dire need of a natural health care provider who will evaluate them holistically and help manage the root cause of their issue, not just push birth control on them. Any woman “requiring” drugs to assist her body with normal physiological function is not truly healthy. Her body is waving a red flag, and wise care asks, “Why is this happening?”

This is important. Symptoms are not enemies to silence. They are messengers.

As mentors, our heart is not to shame women. Many women were put on the pill as teenagers. Many were told it was the responsible choice. Many were told they needed it for acne, cramps, endometriosis symptoms, PCOS symptoms, cycle control, or hormone balance. Some were never taught how fertility works. Some were never taught how food, toxins, sleep, stress, blood sugar, mineral status, thyroid health, and liver function can affect hormones.

We are not here to condemn those women. We are here to disciple them.

Romans 8:1 reminds us that there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. That matters here. Shame does not heal hormones. Fear does not create wisdom. But truth, love, and wise stewardship can help women walk into freedom.

The risks of taking birth control pills are actually quite harmful, and the dangers outweigh any proposed benefits that can be experienced by taking them. Even when conventional sources list possible advantages, such as convenience, cycle predictability, or reduced risk of certain cancers, those proposed benefits do not make hormonal birth control necessary. They also do not erase the cancer, clotting, mood, Candida, libido, and metabolic concerns women continue to report and researchers continue to study.

When an article published in the journal Cancer Research swept through mainstream media, it left behind some pretty hefty waves because it linked breast cancer risk to recent oral contraceptive use. Thankfully, I’m not the only doctor shouting from the rooftops warning women to think twice before taking oral birth control. Hopefully, people will now start to take this issue seriously, forget the political or religious debate for a moment, and refocus their efforts on women’s public health.

Before this study was published, much of the concern about breast cancer and oral contraception centered on self-reported use and case studies. Researchers from Seattle took a closer look at this connection and conducted a case-control study using electronic pharmacy records. They evaluated women ages 20–49, including 1,102 women diagnosed with invasive breast cancer from 1990 to 2009, and found an association between recent oral contraceptive use and breast cancer risk. (2)

According to the study,

• Recent oral contraceptive use within the prior year was associated with increased breast cancer risk.
• The association was stronger for estrogen receptor-positive disease than estrogen receptor-negative disease, suggesting that the type of contraception women take can make a difference in their risk.
• High-dose estrogen pills were associated with particularly elevated risks, while some other types, including low-dose estrogen oral contraceptives, were not associated with the same level of risk in that study.

This is not to say that low-dose estrogen is automatically safe for you. It’s saying that the high-dose variety, ethynodiol diacetate, and triphasic dosing looked especially harmful in that particular study.

And newer research has not made the concern disappear. A 2023 PLOS Medicine nested case-control study and meta-analysis found that current or recent use of progestagen-only contraceptives was associated with a relative increase of around 20% to 30% in breast cancer risk, similar in magnitude to the risk seen with combined hormonal contraceptives. (3)

A 2025 JAMA Oncology nationwide Swedish cohort study of more than 2 million adolescent girls and premenopausal women also found that ever use of any hormonal contraceptive was associated with increased breast cancer risk. The study reported increased risk with both combined and progestin-only formulations, and found that risk varied by progestin content, with desogestrel-containing formulations standing out. (4)

Reality check: The pill is not a vitamin. It is not a lifestyle upgrade. It is a hormone-altering medication, and women deserve to be told the truth.

Top 5 Items on Birth Control Side Effects Lists

Over and above the research on breast cancer, the pill has been connected to a wide variety of health concerns. The top problems that I have seen in my research are:

1. Candida / Yeast Infections

Oral contraception and hormone therapy can put women at increased risk of yeast overgrowth because higher estrogen states and hormone shifts may change the vaginal environment in ways that encourage Candida to thrive.

The CDC lists hormonal contraceptives, including birth control pills, among risk factors for vaginal candidiasis. (5) The World Health Organization also notes that hormone fluctuations, including those related to birth control pills, can increase the risk of yeast infections. (6)

Put simply, if you start the pill and then begin dealing with yeast infections, don’t let anyone make you feel crazy. There is a biologically plausible connection, and it deserves attention.

If this is something you struggle with, see how Mama Z tackles yeast infections naturally.

Application: Don’t just treat the yeast and ignore the terrain. Look at sugar intake, gut health, antibiotics, hormone exposure, immune stress, personal care products, and underwear/laundry choices. Reducing your toxic burden and supporting your microbiome can make a big difference.

2. Risk of Breast and Cervical Cancer

The cancer conversation is one of the main reasons birth control side effects deserve serious attention.

The original article emphasized cervical cancer risk, and that concern still matters. The National Cancer Institute states that women who have used oral contraceptives for five or more years have a higher risk of cervical cancer than women who have never used oral contraceptives, and the longer a woman uses oral contraceptives, the greater the increase in risk. NCI also notes that cervical cancer risk declines over time after women stop using oral contraceptives. (7)

An Iranian study reported that breast and cervical cancers were significantly related to duration of birth control use. In that study, researchers reported that oral contraceptive use “may triple the incidence of cervical cancer and doubles the incidence of breast cancer.” (8) That is one study, and it should be read in context, but it is not something to brush aside.

A 2023 review on combined oral contraceptives and cervical cancer reported that several population studies have suggested increased cervical cancer incidence among women who used combined oral contraceptives for more than five years, while also noting that some available studies are controversial or contradictory. (9)

Breast cancer concerns also remain. The 2014 Cancer Research study linked recent oral contraceptive use with increased breast cancer risk in women ages 20–49, especially with certain formulations. (2) The 2023 PLOS Medicine study added that current or recent progestagen-only contraceptive use appears to carry a similar increase in breast cancer risk to combined hormonal methods. (3) The 2025 JAMA Oncology cohort study reported increased breast cancer risk associated with ever use of hormonal contraceptives and found that longer use was associated with higher risk. (4)

Here’s the thing: women are often told these risks are “small,” but small does not mean irrelevant when the drug is unnecessary for normal hormone balance in the first place.

Application: If you have a personal or family history of breast cancer, cervical cancer, blood clots, clotting disorders, migraines with aura, liver disease, smoking, high blood pressure, or mood disorders, have a deeper conversation with a qualified provider before starting or continuing hormonal contraception. This is especially important if you were prescribed the pill for acne, cramps, irregular cycles, or “hormone balance” without root-cause testing or lifestyle support.

3. Weight Gain and Metabolic Frustration

According to an article published in the journal Neurology, commonly reported adverse effects of oral contraception include weight gain, nausea, variations in menstrual flow, breast tenderness or swelling, depression or mood disturbances, decreased sexual desire or response, and acne. (10)

However, researchers persist to publish articles disproving that the pill causes weight gain. This is one of those cases where I feel it’s imperative to let common sense be your guide. If women consistently experience that they gain weight, retain fluid, feel puffy, lose muscle tone, or struggle metabolically after starting oral contraceptives, then the research needs to be read with discernment. Sometimes clinical environments and statistical averages fail to capture what women are living in their bodies every day.

That does not mean every woman will gain weight on the pill. It means women should be heard when they notice changes.

And we should not forget blood clot risk. A large BMJ systematic review and network meta-analysis found that combined oral contraceptive use increased the risk of venous thrombosis compared with non-use. (11) The CDC also notes that if you are older than 35 and smoke, or have a history of blood clots or breast cancer, your doctor may advise you not to take the pill. (12)

Blood clots are not minor side effects. They are serious.

Application: If your body composition, mood, libido, energy, migraines, or cycle symptoms changed after starting birth control, write it down. Track your symptoms. Bring that information to a practitioner who will listen and help you evaluate the whole picture: hormones, thyroid, insulin, liver detoxification, inflammation, stress, sleep, and nutrition.

4. Fertility Issues

It’s important for women to remember that the pill is NOT infallible, and there is no guarantee that you will not get pregnant. Fact is, women regularly get pregnant while taking oral contraception, especially with missed pills, late pills, gut issues, vomiting, diarrhea, certain medications, or inconsistent use.

The CDC lists a typical-use failure rate of 7% for combined oral contraceptives and 7% for progestin-only pills. (12)

On a positive note, research has found that prolonged oral contraceptive use before a planned pregnancy was not associated with delayed conception and was actually associated with a decreased risk of delayed conception in one Human Reproduction study. (13)

In other words, many women can conceive after stopping the pill, and that is encouraging. But we should also be honest: coming off the pill can reveal the problems the pill was masking, including irregular ovulation, PCOS symptoms, acne, PMS, heavy bleeding, painful cycles, low libido, mood shifts, and nutrient depletion concerns.

This is encouraging for women who want children after taking the pill for several years, as well as for women who see the danger of taking this drug and want a more natural approach.

Application: If you plan to stop the pill and conceive, use the transition as a season of preparation. Focus on nutrient-dense food, mineral support, sleep, stress reduction, toxic-free personal care, and cycle tracking. If your cycle does not return or remains irregular, seek root-cause care instead of simply masking symptoms again.

5. Mood Swings and Depression

A 1968 article published in the British Medical Journal outlined depressive mood changes associated with oral contraceptives. (14) Decades later, the mood conversation has not gone away.

A 2014 case report described a 36-year-old woman with recurrent major depressive disorder who developed a rapid relapse in depression after starting an oral contraceptive containing ethinyl estradiol and chlormadinone acetate. The authors concluded that oral contraceptives can induce serious mood disturbances and should be administered with care, particularly in patients with affective disorders. (15)

This has continued to be observed in study after study. A 2023 population-based cohort study published in Epidemiology and Psychiatric Sciences found that oral contraceptive use, particularly during the first two years, was associated with increased risk of depression. The study also used sibling analysis to help address family-level confounding, and the authors said the findings were consistent with a causal relationship. (16)

Here’s the thing: mood matters. The joy of the Lord is our strength, and when a medication is affecting a woman’s emotional stability, marriage, motherhood, work, spiritual life, or sense of self, that deserves immediate attention.

Application: If depression, anxiety, irritability, panic, emotional numbness, rage, or loss of libido begins or worsens after starting hormonal contraception, don’t ignore it. Talk with a qualified provider and trusted support person. Track timing, formulation, dose changes, and symptoms.

A Faith-Filled, No-Shame Approach to Women’s Health

We want to open this conversation up, not shut women down.

That means we are not writing to shame the woman who took birth control because her doctor told her it was the only option. We are not shaming the wife who used it because she and her husband were afraid. We are not shaming the young woman who was put on the pill before she understood her body. And we are not shaming the mother who is exhausted, overwhelmed, and trying to make the best decision she can with the information she has.

We are inviting women into discipleship.

Biblical health is not about fear, performance, or perfection. It is about surrendering every area of life to the Lord, including our bodies, our fertility, our marriages, our cycles, our homes, and our daily choices. First Corinthians 6 reminds us that our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit. That is not a weapon to use against women. It is an invitation to stewardship.

Put simply: your body is not broken, dirty, or inconvenient. Your fertility is not a disease. Your cycle is not a curse. These are parts of God’s design, and they deserve honor.

When symptoms show up, we ask better questions:

• Is blood sugar instability contributing to PMS, acne, or mood swings?
• Is chronic stress affecting ovulation, progesterone, thyroid function, or sleep?
• Are endocrine-disrupting chemicals in personal care products adding to the hormone burden?
• Is the liver overloaded from toxins, alcohol, processed foods, or medications?
• Are mineral deficiencies, low vitamin D, poor gut health, or inflammation involved?
• Is the woman being supported spiritually, emotionally, and relationally?

This is where mentorship matters. Women need other women, godly husbands need to learn how to support their wives, and families need teaching that goes beyond “take this pill and stop asking questions.”

Application: Start with compassion and truth. Sit with your daughter, wife, friend, or small group and talk about fertility as a gift, not a burden. Encourage cycle education, toxic-free living, nourishing food, prayer, rest, and root-cause care. Create a culture where women can ask questions without being dismissed.

Natural Birth Control Options to Consider

In the final analysis, the research is undeniable: any benefits a woman might gain from taking the pill are definitely overshadowed by the risks.

Please seek out and consider natural birth control options. And be precise here: not every “natural” method is equally effective, and fertility apps are not the same thing as trained fertility awareness. But well-taught fertility awareness-based methods can be highly effective when couples are trained, consistent, and willing to follow the rules.

A prospective study of the symptothermal method found that after 13 cycles, 1.8 per 100 women experienced an unintended pregnancy overall, and the pregnancy rate was 0.6 per 100 women when there was no unprotected intercourse during the fertile time. The researchers concluded that the symptothermal method is highly effective when the appropriate guidelines are consistently followed. (17)

The CDC describes fertility awareness-based methods as helping women understand their monthly fertility pattern, including fertile days, infertile days, and days when fertility is unlikely but possible. The CDC lists a typical-use failure-rate range of 2% to 23% across fertility awareness-based methods, which is why training and consistency matter so much. (12)

That is the point. Women do not need to be treated like they are incapable of understanding their own bodies. They need training, support, and honesty.

Natural birth control options may include:

• Symptothermal fertility awareness: tracking basal body temperature, cervical mucus, and other fertility signs.
• Cervical mucus methods: learning how mucus changes reveal fertile and infertile windows.
• Cycle charting with trained instruction: especially helpful for women coming off the pill, postpartum, breastfeeding, or dealing with irregular cycles.
• Barrier methods: non-hormonal options some couples use during fertile windows.
• Abstinence during fertile days: the key factor in many high-effectiveness fertility awareness studies.

Natural methods require responsibility. They are not passive. They invite husbands and wives to communicate, plan, pray, and steward fertility together.

This can become discipleship in the home. A husband learns that fertility is not “her problem.” A wife learns that her body is not something to suppress or fight. Parents learn how to teach daughters with dignity instead of fear. And women learn that God’s design is not something to be medicated into silence.

How about you? What natural birth control techniques do YOU find effective?

Birth Control Side Effects FAQs

Is birth control ever necessary for hormone balance?

No. Hormonal birth control is never necessary to create true hormone balance. It may suppress symptoms, alter bleeding patterns, or make cycles appear more predictable, but it does not correct the root cause of irregular cycles, acne, PMS, cramps, PCOS symptoms, thyroid issues, insulin resistance, stress overload, or nutrient deficiencies.

Do birth control benefits outweigh the side effects?

No. The position of this article is that the proposed benefits of birth control do not outweigh the side effects and research-linked risks. Women deserve better than symptom suppression. They deserve root-cause care, informed consent, Biblical discipleship, and natural options.

Is this article shaming women who use birth control?

No. This article is not written to shame women. Many women were never taught the risks, never offered root-cause care, or never discipled in fertility awareness and Biblical health. The goal is compassion, mentorship, truth, and freedom.

What are the most common birth control side effects?

Common birth control side effects can include nausea, breast tenderness, menstrual changes, spotting, headaches, acne, mood changes, lower libido, fluid retention, and weight concerns. More serious risks can include blood clots and hormone-related cancer concerns depending on the method, dose, duration of use, and personal risk factors. (10, 11)

Does birth control increase breast cancer risk?

Research suggests that current or recent hormonal contraceptive use may increase breast cancer risk in some women. A 2014 Cancer Research study found increased risk with recent oral contraceptive use, especially certain formulations. A 2023 PLOS Medicine study found a similar increase with current or recent progestagen-only contraceptives. A 2025 JAMA Oncology study found increased breast cancer risk associated with ever use of hormonal contraceptives and reported that risk varied by formulation. (2, 3, 4)

Does the pill increase cervical cancer risk?

Yes, longer oral contraceptive use has been associated with increased cervical cancer risk. The National Cancer Institute states that women who have used oral contraceptives for five or more years have a higher risk of cervical cancer than never-users, and risk increases with longer use. (7)

Can birth control cause yeast infections?

Hormonal contraceptives can increase the risk of vaginal candidiasis in some women. The CDC lists hormonal contraceptives among risk factors for vaginal candidiasis, and the WHO notes that hormone fluctuations related to birth control pills can increase yeast infection risk. (5, 6)

Can birth control affect mood?

Yes, mood changes are one of the most important birth control side effects to watch. A 2023 population-based cohort study found that oral contraceptive use, particularly during the first two years, was associated with increased risk of depression. Women with a history of depression or mood disorders should be especially careful and closely monitored. (16)

Can I get pregnant after stopping the pill?

Many women can conceive after stopping oral contraceptives. A Human Reproduction study found that prolonged oral contraceptive use before planned pregnancy was associated with a decreased risk of delayed conception. That said, the pill can mask underlying hormone issues, so cycle irregularity after stopping deserves root-cause evaluation. (13)

Are natural birth control methods effective?

Some fertility awareness-based methods can be highly effective when taught well and used consistently. A symptothermal method study found a pregnancy rate of 0.6 per 100 women over 13 cycles when couples avoided unprotected intercourse during the fertile time. Typical-use effectiveness is lower when couples are not trained or consistent. (17)

How can churches and families disciple women in this area?

Start by removing shame. Teach that the body is fearfully and wonderfully made, fertility is not a disease, and symptoms deserve compassionate root-cause care. Encourage older women, mothers, mentors, and couples to help younger women understand cycles, nutrition, toxic-free living, prayer, marriage communication, and wise stewardship.

What should I ask my doctor before taking birth control?

Ask why it is being prescribed, what root causes have been evaluated, what side effects to watch for, whether your family history changes your risk, whether you have clotting or migraine risk factors, how it may affect mood and libido, what non-hormonal options exist, and how you will transition off if you want to conceive later.