Injectable medication for birth control (i.e., Depo-Provera) is the only method of contraception that may not affect your chances of getting pregnant once it is stopped. It takes women an average of 5 to 8 menstrual cycles to conceive after receiving the last injection. All other methods of birth control, including the pill, patches, rings, implants, copper IUD, and natural methods, are a bit similar in the amount of time it to conceive after going off them, with the hormonal IUD having a little shorter time to return to normal fertility.
A lot of women believe that there is bound to be a fertility delay after using contraception, and this is a myth many reproductive experts have been trying to debunk. Dr. Glenmarie Matthews, an OB-GYN in New Brunswick, ascribes this to the misunderstandings around birth control and conception – caused by shoddy research and widely spread myths. She says,
“There were a lot of misconceptions around the pill when it was first introduced, and in the 1980s, there was some research that suggested that oral contraceptives might delay fertility after discontinuation.”
However, since then, a lot of studies indicating that the pill does not impact fertility have been published. The same goes for many other forms of contraception.
How long do I need to wait after stopping the pill before trying to get pregnant?
Actually, there is no need to wait a certain time after going off the pill to have a healthy pregnancy. It is okay to conceive as soon as you quit birth control. While some women may experience ovulation within 1 to 2 weeks after stopping pills, it can take others several months to ovulate. Ovulation may not occur for a long time or be put on hold if you initially had irregular periods or issues with ovulation.
Some women find it easy to conceive after using birth control, like the pill. All they have to do is stop the medication and try getting pregnant. However, for others, conceiving may require more effort.
The contraceptive pill has been in use for over four decades. It is widely known as “The Pill” and releases hormones to the body to make the body think it is pregnant. When the body responds to the hormones in this pill, pregnancy is prevented almost all the time. Women would have to go off the contraceptive pill when trying to conceive in order to return to normal ovulation and menstrual cycles.
Barrier Methods of Birth Control
Barrier methods of birth control– be it a condom or diaphragm– have no effect on the ability to conceive. Your fertility goes back to normal immediately after you stop using them. As a matter of fact, one could argue that using barrier contraceptive methods may even raise the chance of becoming pregnant, as it lowers the risk of having sexually transmitted infections (STI) that can result in infertility, like gonorrhea and chlamydia.
The Pill
Oral contraceptives release hormones to stop the female body from ovulating (release of eggs from the ovaries). These hormones leave the body within 24 hours after stopping the pill, and you can resume ovulation with your next menstrual cycle and may even get pregnant. (This explains why it is possible to conceive if you don’t remember to take the pill).
But returning to normal fertility does not mean you will conceive immediately. According to a study, about 72-94% of women will get pregnant after 12 months of stopping oral contraceptives. This rate is similar to the percentage of women who conceived after a year of quitting other forms of birth control, i.e., non-medication types like using condoms or IUDs.
The Patch and Ring
The patch and the ring (NuvaRing) also use hormones to stop ovulation from taking place. You can expect your fertility to return to normal within a few days after taking off the ring or the patch.
The Implant
Implant-based forms of birth control, e.g., Nexplanon, are placed beneath the skin in the upper arm. They can protect you from getting pregnant for up to 4 years. Like Depo-Provera, the implant releases a hormone known as progestin to help prevent pregnancy. It can also be reversed after removal, and most women ovulate within 3 months of removing the implant.
IUDs
Intrauterine devices (IUDs) are a type of birth control that uses either plastic or copper. It is inserted right into the womb, where it changes how sperm cells move, stopping them from reaching the egg. IUDs can prevent pregnancy for a very long time. A hormonal IUD (made of plastic) can protect you from getting pregnant for about 3 to 7 years, based on the particular brand. The copper IUD offers much longer protection and can prevent pregnancy for up to 12 years. If you would like to become pregnant quickly after birth control, it is possible once your physician removes the IUD.
Combined hormonal birth control (CHC)
Combined hormonal birth control, also referred to as the pill, is around 91% effective at protecting against pregnancy. It is used orally and contains two hormones, progestin and estrogen, which prevent ovulation. You can just stop using the pill if you wish to conceive. While it may take you some time to get your menstrual cycle back to normal, you can become pregnant as soon as you stop using the pill.
Injectable contraceptives
Injectable contraceptives are otherwise known as ‘the shot.” They release a female sex hormone (progesterone) into the blood to prevent pregnancy.
Studies show that injectable contraceptives are 94% at protecting against pregnancy. When you take the “shot,” it may take you up to one year or even more to be able to conceive after stopping birth control. The reason is that it takes the body a long time to return to its normal hormonal cycle after using this kind of contraceptive. So, if you are looking for a temporary contraceptive that will allow you to conceive immediately, injectable contraceptives may not be the ideal option for you.
Other factors that affect getting pregnant after birth control
A lot of factors determine how long you can get pregnant after birth control. These include:
Age
age is one of the most important factors when trying to become pregnant. This is because women’s fertility reduces with age.
Overall health
This is another thing you need to consider when trying to conceive. Deficiency of nutrients or obesity can make it more difficult to become pregnant, and so can certain health conditions, including polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), thyroid issues, pituitary gland disorders, etc.
Male partner’s fertility
The sperm count and sperm motility of your partner can also affect how much time it takes to become pregnant after coming off birth control.
Reproductive health
Fertility health is also an essential factor for hopeful parents who wish to become pregnant right after stopping birth control. Issues like endometriosis, pelvic infections, irregular periods, and fallopian tube blockage can also impact how long it takes to conceive.
Note: having intercourse during your fertile window can raise your odds of conception.
Getting back to a normal ovulation cycle
The best time to try for pregnancy is when a woman is ovulating. Women don’t usually ovulate when using the pill. It may take the body a while to get back to normal ovulation and menstrual cycles after going off the pill. That may occur within two weeks or even months. It is 100% safe to begin trying to conceive once you stop using the pill. However, it can take some to actually conceive due to delay in ovulation and many other factors involved in becoming pregnant.
A woman’s ovulation cycle is essential for conception and for knowing the age of her pregnancy. Doctors usually ask pregnant women to try and remember the first day of their last menstruation. This date is then used to calculate the gestational age in weeks, which is used to figure out the expected due date of the pregnancy. While using ovulation to estimate pregnancy due date is not always perfect, it does let the doctor know a baseline age to compare fetal growth with. If ovulation failed to occur at the usual time during a menstrual cycle as a result of birth control use, the age of the pregnancy and expected due date might not be accurate.
If you have more questions about birth control pills and pregnancy or are struggling to get pregnant, simply schedule a consultation with our experts today. You can also ask us any questions right away using the chat option.
