CDear Doctor Calcagni, I have been taking the pill for many years: should I take breaks?
Thank you,
Cynthia
Doctor Monica Calcagni responds
Doctor Monica Calcagni
I’m there Doctor Monica Calcagni, Surgeon specializing in Gynecology and Obstetrics. For over twenty years I have accompanied women in every phase of their lives with competence, listening and passion. I graduated with honors fromUniversity of Rome “Tor Vergata”where I also obtained a specialization in Obstetrics and Gynecology with honors and a II level Master’s degree in Aesthetic Medicine, as well as various specialist certifications.
In my job I deal with everything related to gynecological health: from prevention to contraception, from pregnancy to birth assistance, up to obstetric and gynecological ultrasound. I’m a non-objecting doctor and I have always been committed to protection of women’s health and rights.
Alongside my clinical activity, I also carry out my educational activity, with scientific publications and three books aimed at the general public. I have written three books: My journey alongside women (Maggioli Editore, 2025), More woman, less break (Sperling&Kupfer, 2024) e Women’s things (Sperling&Kupfer, 2022).
For info and contacts call 3397247140-3737375627
Or for online consultations you can book directly on the platform Doctorium.
I have been taking the pill for many years: should I take breaks?
This is one of the questions I hear asked most often, and not surprisingly: for decades it has been There is a widespread idea that the pill “fatigues” the ovary, as if, month after month, it was being asked to make an unsustainable effort. It’s a concept that comes from a time when pills contained much higher hormone doses than today and when scientific knowledge was less refined. But today that fear belongs to the past.
We no longer have to deal with pills from thirty years ago: modern ones are designed to be taken even for long periods, with hormones at minimal doses and a very controlled safety profile. The idea of “ovarian rest” is, in fact, a myth. The ovary does not wear out and should not be “put on standby” so as not to wear out. It’s not like a muscle that risks fatigue: if you don’t ovulate for a few months or years, not only is it not damaged, but in some cases it benefits from not having to continually deal with those hormonal fluctuations that make, for many women, the fertile phase a real emotional and physical swing.
What happens if you stop taking the pill
The pill does not deplete the ovarian reserve, does not compromise future fertility And it does not “intoxicate” the bodyanother belief that unfortunately cyclically resurfaces. Indeed, it is often the unmotivated interruption of the pill that creates inconvenience. When you stop it for no reason, your cycle can become irregular, hormones take a while to reorganize, period pains can come back stronger and that acne you finally tamed could reappear.
Increases the risk of an unplanned pregnancy.
But above all, removing effective protection without a plan increases the risk of an unplanned pregnancy. For many women the effect is paradoxical: they think they are making a more “natural” choice, but instead they find themselves with more hormonal chaos and less serenity.
There is no medical reason to take breaks
The truth today is very simple: there is no medical reason to take breaks if the pill you are taking is the right one for you. What really matters is periodic monitoringone visit a year, careful listening to your symptoms, and the possibility, when necessary, of changing the type of pill to find the one best suited to your metabolism, your medical history and your lifestyle. If you are fine with the pill, you can continue peacefully as long as you want.
You will stop it when you want to get pregnant and not, as is often believed, months before to “purify” yourself: you can get pregnant even immediately after the last tablet or after the age of 50, when the natural transition towards menopause begins. The pill is not a burden, nor a silent enemy. It is a modern and safe tool, which if chosen well and monitored by a professional can be a precious resource for the health, freedom and quality of life of many women.
If you want to know more read my book “Women’s things that men should know too” published by Sperling&Kupfer.
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