If you’ve been on birth control pills for what feels like forever, you probably worry about what will happen when you eventually go off them, particularly if you hope to get pregnant one day, on your own terms.
But there's good news, and it's twofold: First, no matter how long you’ve been on birth control, once you trash your pack and your regular periods resume (which can happen as soon as your next scheduled cycle, and usually within one year or sooner), you’re no less likely to get pregnant than a women who has never ever popped a pill.
What's more, new research suggests that oral contraceptive use doesn’t just reduce your risk of certain cancers, lighten your period, alleviate horrible cramps, clear your skin, and improve your mood (among other benefits). It shows that women who take the pill or use other methods of hormonal contraceptive for more than 10 years may end up with better memories and critical thinking skills post-menopause, according to a study that looked at 830 women around age 60, which was recently published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.
