A break from the pill?

[dizzyjay.livejournal.com]

I`ve briefly googled this and everything I read said that there is no need to take a break from the birth control pill. Does anyone disagree with this?

I`ve had my mom and boyfriend`s mom both tell me that I should take a break from it. I am confused!

Comments

[mrar.livejournal.com]

Why would you take a break? I've heard that there used to be an urban legend that it was necessary to take a break but I think that has since be debunked.

[sugarsin.livejournal.com]

I did this for a while too. It freaked me out because I didn't get my period for a long time, which made me think I was pregnant. When I did decide to go back on the pill, my doc told me it really wasn't necessary to take a break from it, but lots of people do.

[dreadpiratekurt.livejournal.com]

Maybe they want a grandkid.

[vronwe.livejournal.com]

I don't think breaks are necessary. And the potential consequences of taking a break far outweigh the possible benefits, so I'd never take a break.

[kayeyem.livejournal.com]

I found this (http://contraception.about.com/b/2007/04/25/taking-a-break-from-the-pill-fact-or-fiction.htm) and that links to this (http://contraception.about.com/od/contraceptionmyths/tp/pillmyths.htm).

I will admit to 'taking a break' myself, though--my husband used to (and still might if the economy doesn't pick up!) sails/goes over seas for 4-6 months at a time...and since I'm not having sex and don't have periods either way, I tend to not take bc when he's gone, starting up again a few weeks before he's due to be home. But it's not because I think it's bad to take the pill constantly.

[indigodye.livejournal.com]

When they were on the pill it was a much higher dose and a break might have been recommended. But the way that pills are formulated now, breaks aren't needed.

[queensugar.livejournal.com]

That's a sadly common urban myth. You do not need to take a break from birth control pills; they are safe for long term use (years and years and years and years), and there is no need to stop taking them unless you personally want to.

[sweetcakes69.livejournal.com]

From what I know, and that's probably not very much, ha ha!, the pill used to be a lot different and a lot heavier on the hormones. I don't know if it was merely a myth or not, but I remember back in the 80s that it was said to be good to take a break off the pill.

I also remember that my Aunt took BC for 12 years without stopping and then went 7 years trying before her son was born.

But, I don't think that "take a break" thing applies anymore with the newer BCs.