Can You Use Birth Control if You Aren’t Having Sex?

It’s true that the primary reason people use birth control if they’re having sex is to prevent pregnancy. But did you know that you can still use birth control even if you aren’t having sex? Or that you can walk into a The Right Time health center and get free or low-cost birth control even if you aren’t sexually active?

It’s true! If you started using birth control because you were having sex with someone, and then decided to stop having sex (either with that person specifically, or you want to take a break from sex altogether), you can keep using your birth control. And, if you’ve never had sex before, you can still use birth control too! 

How can this be? 

It’s because there are all kinds of reasons people use birth control that have nothing to do with sex or pregnancy. In fact, 58% of people who use the contraceptive pill take it for a reason other than preventing pregnancy. 

Below are some other reasons might people use birth control if they aren’t having sex. Birth control can:

• relieve symptoms of PMS/PMDD.
• regulate periods, or help you skip them entirely.
• help control acne.
• help with menstrual migraines.
• help with endometriosis.
• reduce your risk of ovarian cysts and ovarian cancer.

So yes, you can still use birth control even if you aren’t having sex. To learn which methods have the added benefits listed above, make an appointment to talk to a provider at your nearest The Right Time health center.